Flood advisory issued for Dubois County, road closures reported from rising water
Flooding already closed six Dubois County roads as the Patoka River and Hunley Creek rose. More runoff could keep low-lying routes hazardous through early Wednesday.
Rising water had already shut down six Dubois County roads by Tuesday as runoff from the Patoka River, Hunley Creek and other waterways pushed into low spots across the county.
The National Weather Service in Paducah had Dubois County under a Flood Watch from 3 p.m. Tuesday through Wednesday afternoon, warning that excessive runoff could flood rivers, creeks, streams and other low-lying, flood-prone areas. A separate flood advisory for Dubois County and surrounding areas remained in effect until early Wednesday morning, signaling continued risk overnight for travel on county roads and other low-lying routes.
The Dubois County Highway Department reported that the closures were tied to high water along the Patoka River, Hunley Creek and several other waterways. County forecasters and highway crews were watching the same system as it moved through the Tri-State region, with the Paducah National Weather Service page showing active flood-related hazards on May 20.
The threat was not limited to one stretch of the county. Earlier this spring, Dubois County saw 14 roads affected in one flooding round, then 13 more county roads impacted after as much as 2.5 inches of rain fell. The current flooding pattern had again spread across low-lying areas connected to the Patoka River, Little Flat Creek, Ell Creek, Straight River and tributary creeks that can rise quickly after heavy rain.
For residents trying to move before daybreak Wednesday, the immediate problem was not just standing water but sudden road closures and detours on county routes. Drivers were being forced to treat low-water crossings and flood-prone stretches as unsafe until water dropped and highway crews could reopen them. The combination of the watch, the advisory and the closures pointed to a familiar spring pattern in Dubois County: when runoff comes fast, travel problems follow even faster.
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