By John Howell
The Batesville Street Department continues to address problem drainage areas identified following April 24 flooding that washed out a major culvert closing Woodland Road and a smaller culvert that closed Dogwood Lane.

“We’re unstopping culverts, ditches, (cleaning) brush that flooding left,” Street Superintendent Teddy Austin said during the June 2 meeting of the board of mayor and aldermen.

The biggest problem is a failed retaining wall on Hickory Lane that has collapsed into the creek, the discussion among Austin, assistant City Engineer Byron Houston and aldermen indicated.
“We’re going to have to dig out behind that wall and take one or two trackhoes and try to pull that wall back and try to save that wall,” Houston said.

Other areas identified during the meeting for inspection culvert replacement, ditch and brush cleaning include Dogwood Lane, Dickey Drive, Hickory Lane and Tubbs Roads.

“I think we’re still blessed, though,” Alderman Ted Stewart said somewhere during the discussion, alluding to extensive rainfall and flooding in Texas.