CLARKSVILLE, Mo. – Clarksville’s emergency management committee met Wednesday night to prepare for the possibility of flooding. River levels are expected to crest in the moderate flood zone for Clarksville, Missouri.
Mayor Jo Anne Smiley said it’s too soon to know what impact potential flooding could have on Clarksville but added that it’s not too soon to prepare.
One of the attendees at Wednesday’s meeting was Jerry Manfredonia. He moved from Hackensack, New Jersey, to Clarksville and has been impressed with the sense of community and the determination to battle floods.
“The whole community comes together,” Manfredonia said.
Gary Cecil lives in an area of Clarksville where flooding has been a problem. He’s taking precautions in case there is flooding this spring.
“I’ve got a generator,” Cecil said. “I’ve got a three-inch waste pump to pump water of the basement when that’s necessary.”
Cecil and other Clarksville residents are also excited about work starting on a removable flood wall. The mayor said work should be completed in about two years.
“It’s something a few people can put together rather quickly,” Smiley said.
She said the wall is the result of years of efforts, including searches for funding sources.
“It’s going to revitalize the whole community,” Cecil said.