Civilization first begins to appear about 9-10,000 years ago if orthodox C14 dating is accepted. Human horticultural civilization has its origins in the Armenia-Assyria region that the flood posits as the landing of the Ark, and this also appears to approximate starting point for the spread of the Indo-European and Semitic language groups. Unsurprisingly, the first cities also appear in this region. The flood would have been some time before that 9-10,000 year mark.
I do not accept the chronologies of the Protestant Fundementalists like Morris. I'm a Catholic, not a Protestant fundementalist, and our perspective on these matters differs in a number of areas.
Please see: "The Science of Today and the Problems of Genesis" by Fr. O'Connell for a concise summary of the Catholic position.
Unless I am mistaken, Catholics accept evolution and the old earth evidence. They do not teach as literal an interpretation of the bible as others do.
So, could not the flood described in the Bible have been the Black Sea event some 7,000 years ago (I don't remember the exact date). I know this would be a more localized event, but would this not be a possible interpretation?