A Tri-State town is considering a major investment in flood protection.  You'll recall Clarksville has gone through three major floods in 40 years, including the flood of 2008.

Now as part of a master plan developed over the last couple of years, the tiny river community of 490 residents is developing a long-range plan for flood control.

Clarksville Mayor Jo Ann Smiley knows that the river can be a blessing, bringing in tourists to her small artisan community. But it can also be a curse.

In June 2008, the National Guard and hundreds of volunteers answered the town's call for help...building a sandbag levee to protect the downtown area from one of the worst floods in town history. But most of the town wasn't protected and took on major damages. The flooding also backed up the town's sewer system...repairs to that cost millions of dollars.

Mayor Smiley says the city council has been working proactively on a master plan...even before last year's flood. Part of that is a flood control plan... which includes infrastructure improvements to the sewer system. Those upgrades are necessary to meet new treatment regulations required by the Department of Natural Resources. Without upgrades, the city would face huge fines.

Another long range goal is flood protection.

Smiley said, "A flood could come at any time so we have to do something in terms of planning for the immediate future. But in the long term we'd like to see something put into place."

Preliminary plans could include a temporary removable flood wall...with a base that could double as a bike trail.

The city council wants to protect the entire town. Ideally the removable flood wall would begin at Lock and Dam 24 and stretch a mile and a half south.

But nothing is set in stone. An engineering study is being done to determine just how far the flood wall can stretch and if it will hold against the Mississippi. Mayor Smiley emphasizes that the proposals are very preliminary..and more studies are needed before any decisions are made.

Mayor Smiley says the city is now trying to locate engineers right now to do the extensive studies. Then with the studies and plans in place, the city would be readily able to take advantage of grants and other funding sources that may come available.