MIKE. ADAM, THANKS SO MUCH. BACK TO HIM SHORTLY. IN THE MEANTIME, YOU KNOW, THE FLOODING ALREADY IS IMPACTING A LOT OF FOLKS OUT THERE FROM NORTHERN KENTUCKY TO OHIO. AND WE HAVE LIVE TEAM COVERAGE TONIGHT. OUR SEAN MACKINNON IS GIVING US A LIVE LOOK AT SOME OF THE FLOODING WE’RE SEEING ALONG THE OHIO RIVER. BUT FIRST, LET’S GO TO RACHEL WHELAN. SHE’S OUT IN PENDLETON COUNTY, WHERE NEIGHBORS ARE NOT BEING TOLD TO EVACUATE. RACHEL, WHAT CAN YOU TELL US? YES, BUTLER IS UNDER A MANDATORY EVACUATION, EFFECTIVE RIGHT NOW. FALMOUTH WILL FOLLOW AROUND 8 P.M. I WANT TO SHOW YOU THIS IS THE LICKING RIVER BEHIND ME, ALREADY CREEPING UP ON US. WE ARE BY HIGHWAY 177, BEHIND A DAYCARE. GOD, LITTLE EXPLORERS, DAYCARE. AND IT’S REALLY JUST FEELING OMINOUS RIGHT NOW, RIGHT? YOU CAN SEE THE RIVER RISING ALMOST TO THE PARKING LOT HERE OF THE DAYCARE. IF WE LOOK AT THE POLE BEHIND US, YOU CAN SEE IT’S ALREADY UP TO ALMOST 42FT. THE MAYOR, I JUST SPOKE WITH HIM AND HE TOLD ME THAT BACK IN 97, IT GOT UP TO 57FT, WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, PRETTY HARD TO IMAGINE, RIGHT? IT WAS ALSO ALL THE WAY UP TO THIS BRIDGE. THEY TOLD ME THEY WERE TRYING TO RESCUE PEOPLE, BUT AMBULANCES WERE SLIDING, ALMOST SLIDING OFF THE BRIDGE. THAT’S WHY THEY’RE PUTTING THESE MANDATORY EVACUATIONS INTO PLACE. IT’S SO PEOPLE CAN GET OUT HERE SAFELY AND REALLY GET AHEAD OF THIS THING. SPOKESPERSON TOLD ME. VOLUNTEERS ARE GOING DOOR TO DOOR RIGHT NOW, TELLING PEOPLE TO LEAVE THEIR HOMES AND TURN OFF THEIR GAS, ELECTRIC AND SEWER. AGAIN, THIS IS A MANDATORY EVACUATION. WE’RE TALKING ABOUT DANGEROUS LEVELS OF FLOODING. THIS IS NOT JUST THE KIND OF STORM YOU WANT TO WEATHER, JUST TO KEEP AN EYE ON YOUR HOUSE. WELL, EVERYONE FEELS THAT WAY. AND THE PROBLEM IS, YOU CAN’T DO IT. IT’S MOTHER NATURE. YOU CAN’T CONTROL IT. YOU CAN’T STOP. IT BETTER BE OUT AND BE SAFE. THE NATIONAL GUARD IS GOING TO COME IN TO HELP PROTECT YOUR PROPERTY WHILE YOU’RE GONE. SO THERE’S REALLY NOT A SAFE REASON TO STAY. THAT WAS THE PENDLETON COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT SPOKESPERSON, ROB BRAUN. HE ALSO TELLS ME THAT RED CROSS IS ON THE WAY TO HELP. IF YOU NEED SHELTER. PENDLETON COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL IS OPEN RIGHT NOW. THEY WILL ALSO OPEN ANTIOCH CHRISTIAN CHURCH IF NEEDED. FOR NOW, I’M REPORTING IN BUTLE
Carroll County communities placed under mandatory evacuation after river dam opening causes confusion
Several communities in Carroll County remain under a mandatory evacuation order after confusion surrounding the opening of a river dam led to conflicting accounts among Kentucky officials on Sunday afternoon.This came after Carrollton Mayor Robb Adams said that the Dix Dam in the central part of the state opened 10 of its gates, sending water rushing down the Kentucky River that would inundate the communities located along it.Initially, Adams said that the dam’s opening appeared to be accidental. However, later on Sunday, Kentucky Transportation District 7 said that the release was planned, and that the release of water was factored into predicted flood models and would not lead to a large surge of water being released all at once.The Dix Dam connects to the Kentucky River, which flows directly through Carroll County.The mayor passed originally along the update in a Facebook Live video that was posted just before 3 p.m. on Sunday.However, in a subsequent Facebook video on Sunday evening, Adams cleared up the miscommunication, saying that state officials did not pass along much substantial information to him about the dam release, leading him to be under the impression from them that it was accidental in nature.Despite this clarification, Adams said that the mandatory evacuations will still remain in place throughout Carroll County, as water levels are still expected to be at abnormally high levels throughout Sunday night.Communities and streets ordered to evacuate within Carroll County are:PrestonvilleGreensbottonHappy HollowBlue LickLock Number 1 RoadLower Mason Street In his first video, Adams originally said that all others who live directly along the Kentucky River should also evacuate, saying that they can expect “an extremely, extremely rapid rise in the water” due to the release of water from the dam, and compared the impact of the dam opening to the 1937 flood seen across the region.The severity of the flooding across Carroll County was not immediately clear Sunday night.The entirety of the city of Carollton itself is not under a mandatory evacuation order. However, surrounding communities such as Prestonville — which sits directly across from the Kentucky River — are.Adams said in his first video that failing to evacuate risks putting yourself at risk due to limited emergency response personnel that Carroll County has.”If you have means to get out on your own in those areas that I mentioned, go now,” said Adams. “Every time someone is able to get out on their own, it saves our personnel. Because we are limited, so limited on boots on the ground — firefighters, volunteers — we are so limited on that with everything else going on.”
CARROLL COUNTY, Ky. —Several communities in Carroll County remain under a mandatory evacuation order after confusion surrounding the opening of a river dam led to conflicting accounts among Kentucky officials on Sunday afternoon.
This came after Carrollton Mayor Robb Adams said that the Dix Dam in the central part of the state opened 10 of its gates, sending water rushing down the Kentucky River that would inundate the communities located along it.
Initially, Adams said that the dam’s opening appeared to be accidental. However, later on Sunday, Kentucky Transportation District 7 said that the release was planned, and that the release of water was factored into predicted flood models and would not lead to a large surge of water being released all at once.
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UpdateCorrection:An earlier post should have stated that the release of water from the Herrington Lake Spillway in Mercer Co. was planned due to the level of the lake.
All flood prediction models factored the release into the predicted flood models.
— KYTC District 7 (@KYTCDistrict7) April 6, 2025
The Dix Dam connects to the Kentucky River, which flows directly through Carroll County.
The mayor passed originally along the update in a Facebook Live video that was posted just before 3 p.m. on Sunday.
However, in a subsequent Facebook video on Sunday evening, Adams cleared up the miscommunication, saying that state officials did not pass along much substantial information to him about the dam release, leading him to be under the impression from them that it was accidental in nature.
Despite this clarification, Adams said that the mandatory evacuations will still remain in place throughout Carroll County, as water levels are still expected to be at abnormally high levels throughout Sunday night.
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Communities and streets ordered to evacuate within Carroll County are:
- Prestonville
- Greensbotton
- Happy Hollow
- Blue Lick
- Lock Number 1 Road
- Lower Mason Street
In his first video, Adams originally said that all others who live directly along the Kentucky River should also evacuate, saying that they can expect “an extremely, extremely rapid rise in the water” due to the release of water from the dam, and compared the impact of the dam opening to the 1937 flood seen across the region.
The severity of the flooding across Carroll County was not immediately clear Sunday night.
The entirety of the city of Carollton itself is not under a mandatory evacuation order. However, surrounding communities such as Prestonville — which sits directly across from the Kentucky River — are.
Adams said in his first video that failing to evacuate risks putting yourself at risk due to limited emergency response personnel that Carroll County has.
“If you have means to get out on your own in those areas that I mentioned, go now,” said Adams. “Every time someone is able to get out on their own, it saves our personnel. Because we are limited, so limited on boots on the ground — firefighters, volunteers — we are so limited on that with everything else going on.”
