Tami Vaters still remembers the deadly Falmouth flood of 1997, almost three decades later. Water levels rose over 51 feet that day, and five people died as a result."It's something we still talk about, and unfortunately it's pro bably been a black cloud over Pendleton County," Vaters said.In April of this year, flooding on the Licking River claimed the life of another Pendleton County life.Since then, as the threat of continuing water that could affect the community and take lives looms, Vaters has learned of a method that could lessen the threat flooding presents: floodplain sinks.The process involves creating a basin that fills during flooding, providing an outlet for floodwater and lowering the flood level."Once the water comes up to a certain level, that meter kicks in and it redirects that water into this flood plain sink that has a permeable bottom," Vaters said. "The water slowly leaches out back into the earth, but it reduces the water flow going down the river."Representative Mark Hart, who represents Kentucky House District 78, has taken an interest in these floodplain sinks and how they could benefit Kentuckians. According to Hart, the floodplain sinks can't prevent floods, but can help mitigate them.Between 2011 and 2024, each of Kentucky's 120 counties has experienced a disaster. Of the 23 that have been federally declared disasters, only three have not been flood related.Since 2022, insurance premiums have rose 22%."Flood insurance is so, so expensive and it's all, and it's based off of the level, the predicted level of the flood when it floods," Hart said.Both Hart and State Senator Shelley Funke Frommeyer are learning more about floodplain sinks and they plan to bring the conversation to a state level next week.That meeting is scheduled to take place in Frankfort on December 10, and will be open to the public. Meanwhile, counties across the Licking River Basin are already working on models connecting potential sink areas with hiking trails. ...read more read less