HOPKINSVILLE, KY (CHRISTIAN COUNTY NOW) – The Oak Grove City Council recently met with officials leading discussion about flood mitigation and response ahead of spring. During the March 3 meeting, Councilmember Janet Edwards requested that Public Works Director Brian Ahart give an update about flood mitigation in previously impacted neighborhoods.
In March of 2025, the Shadow Ridge neighborhood off of State Line Road experienced flooding, which was exasperated by a major flood event in April that brought over a foot of rain. Oak Grove was hit especially hard, with several feet of sewage and floodwater filling homes and leaving residents displaced.
The continuous flooding at this specific neighborhood has previously been called out by residents and city officials. The discussion for mitigation was originally brought up in October of 2025 where it was proposed that the city invest in further excavating the drain basin by the neighborhood.
During the recent meeting, Ahart said he is waiting to hear back from construction company involved in the project see if it is even feasible to get equipment in and out. Due the large scale of the required trucks and the location of the basin, the only access point would require special permission from the property owner and accommodate for a high volume of dump truck traffic.
Due to this setback, no work has been done to further expand the basic, however Ahart said the drain is clear of debris to allow water to flow.
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Fire Department decides against rescue boat
After the emergency response surrounding the flood in 2025, the city budgeted $5,000 for a rescue boat that could be utilized by the Oak Grove Fire Department. However, the boat was never purchased.
“From a fiscal responsibility aspect, yes, we budgeted for that, but how often is it going to get used?” said Oak Grove Fire Chief Bill Johnson to the council. He added that the department does not have a place to properly store a boat, and other agencies have resources and equipment they are able to use if the need arises again.
Boats were crucial for rescue in Oak Grove during the April 2025 flood, with surrounding agencies providing resources and support.
Councilmember John Campbell said he had discussions with the chief regarding equipment that would better serve the department. They proposed purchasing three Electric Vehicle tools that will go in each fire truck. The safety tool in question could be used if an EV is involved in an accident to ensure the vehicle’s gear is in a safe position before a rescue or tow is initiated.
“I just think this is going to be more useful to the department and the community than the boat would be. The number of EV cars that are out there right now and the number of accidents that we go to, we’re going to run across that far more often that we would have any use for the boat,” he added.
The council will have to amend the city’s capital budget to accommodate for the expense moving forward.
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