In an unconventional twist on disaster preparedness, the owners of a riverside restaurant in Kentucky have gone viral for taking flood prevention into their own hands — quite literally. Rather than waiting helplessly as floodwaters crept toward their establishment, they made a bold decision: fill the building themselves.
Captain’s Quarters Riverside Grille, a scenic restaurant nestled along the Ohio River in Prospect, Kentucky, recently turned heads with a surprising flood protocol. Co-owner Andrew Masterson shared a video online showing the entire restaurant being intentionally filled with six feet of clean water, all in anticipation of the muddy, debris-filled floodwaters that threatened to pour in from the outside.
At first glance, the concept seems counterintuitive. But as Masterson explains, it’s all about pressure and prevention.
The strategy works in two ways. First, by filling the restaurant with clean water, the owners are essentially “locking out” the dirty river water that would otherwise find its way in. Second, and perhaps more critically, matching the internal water pressure with the external flood pressure helps prevent structural damage. The tactic keeps windows intact and protects the building — which is constructed primarily of cinderblocks and tile — from crumbling under uneven force.
“We’ve been through this too many times not to have a plan,” said Masterson, whose team has fine-tuned their approach after repeated flooding incidents.
Before executing their plan, the restaurant’s staff removed all valuable equipment and furnishings. Then, using faucets, sinks, and a well water pump, they gradually filled the interior with fresh water. The result? A controlled indoor flood that actually reduced the mess and cost they would face during post-flood cleanup.
When the river finally recedes, cleanup becomes significantly simpler. Instead of mud, debris, and contaminated water, they’ll be left with clean water to drain and disinfect — a job they already know how to handle quickly and efficiently.
As you might expect, the internet had a field day with this story. Reactions ranged from admiration to humorous confusion:
“Did he Uno Reverse Card the flood?”
“Strange, genius move.”
“Mans playing chess, not checkers.”
Despite the jokes, there’s no denying the cleverness behind the move. Sometimes, it turns out, the best way to beat nature… is to meet it head-on.
In an era of increasingly unpredictable weather events, the Captain’s Quarters team might just be leading the charge on flood resilience — one strategic splash at a time.
