Some Pressing Flooding Concerns

So, another year, another disastrous flashflood event. Is it just me, or does it occur to anyone else that we’re getting into a bit of a rut here?



The first reports on WYMT’s web site about the flood saw comments that reflect the reality in which we live in this area. Someone suggested that mountaintop (MTR) removal might have been responsible. This poster was immediately set upon by supporters of mining, and the beat (down) was on.



I had it in the back of my mind that there was an MTR site in the woodpile somewhere, but until I had proof positive, I wasn’t going to say anything. And, since Google Earth is only one way to find out what Pike County looks like from the air if you don’t have a helicopter or airplane, that would mean using this app first.



One thing here; I don’t know how old Google’s images are, but there are ways to estimate. Take construction on new U S 460. These images seem pretty well up-to-date. So I’ll assume the rest are close enough for government work.



To get over Pike Co., enter Pike County, Kentucky on the “Fly to” space. When you’ve done this, you’ll be taken to a spot that is over Pikeville and the surrounding environs. From here, you can zoom out until you pretty much see the whole of Pike Co. From that overall image, it is pretty obvious that MTR is taking place.



South of Pikeville, sort of halfway between the big city and the Va. state line, you’ll notice several large, barren areas. Zoom in a bit and you will be able to recognize Marrowbone Creek road. Those large, barren areas are just to the north of the Marrowbone intersection and situated around the head of Jimmie’s Creek and Harless Creek.



Those at the head of Harless Creek all seem to drain into that creek. From the pictures published on facebook by the News-Express, and from the stories written about the floods, it would seem that Harless Creek was, arguably, hit the hardest of all the flooded areas. There was an incredible amount of damage done here, and you have to suspect that matters weren’t helped any by the large area laid bare by these mining operations.



Here’s the point; we may not know why these floods were so catastrophic, but the people who live in this county are owed more than just a rush to clean up and move on. We need to know why these floods came on so strongly and so quickly, and that will take a thorough, complete, scientific investigation. Every aspect of these floods needs to be studied in order to limit this sort of damage in the future.



It was suggested, for instance, that the floods around Raccoon Creek were exacerbated by the new four-lane U S 119. If this is so, we need to know it. If MTR mining has changed the definition of flood-proned areas, so be it.



We need to move as quickly as possible to protect all residents from any future flash flooding before we are hit with a real catastrophe, such as a rainstorm that drops that much water that quickly in the middle of the night, when everyone is asleep.