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| Flash floods, often called "tides,"
have always been a common occurrence in eastern Kentucky. But it wasn't
until 1862 that records began to be kept of flood conditions. That
was the year floodwaters raised the Levisa Fork to an estimated elevation
of 613.4 feet (river stage = 49.4 feet). Since then, 36 damaging floods
have been recorded in the Levisa Fork River Basin.
Although Martin experienced the effect of all these floods, the city's first flood of record occurred in January 1957. Then in April 1977, the 1957 flood was surpassed when devastating floods caused $198 million in damages to the Levisa Fork communities. In Martin, the 1977 flood was 0.3 feet higher than the 1957 flood. In some places, water depth on Martin's Main Street exceeded nine feet. In a direct response to the 1977 flood, the Federal government enacted the Energy and Water Development Appropriations Act of 1981. This act authorized the development of flood-protection measures for the Levisa and Tug Forks of the Big Sandy River Basin. Section 202 of the legislation directed the Secretary of the Army to initiate design and construction by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers of flood-damage reduction measures in those areas affected by the 1977 flood. When major flooding of the Tug Fork Basin occurred in May 1984, resulting in damages of approximately $152.8 million, Congress issued Public Law 98-332, which appropriated funding for the expeditious implementation of nonstructural flood control measures. ____________________________________ Extensive evaluations showed that traditional flood protection solutions, such as dams, ringwalls, levees and floodwalls, were not a solution for Martin: |
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| Flood Wall Protection | Flood Control Dam |
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| Levee Project (on left) |
Floodwall Around Community
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