By Chris Taylor
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wkms/local-wkms-958368.mp3
Smithland, KY – As river flood levels crest and begin to recede this weekend many area residents will offer sighs of relief. Over in Livingston County, at the confluence of the Ohio and Cumberland Rivers lies the town of Smithland and nestled in that quiet bend is Smiley's Levee Caf . Its namesake is what's keeping a portion of the town from being submerged by the swollen Ohio and Cumberland Rivers. Chris Taylor calls up the restaurant to see how things are going.
This is the first time Smiley's owner Bev Smiley has seen the river this high since buying the restaurant a few years back. Though her regular customers recall when river levels flooded Smithland right up to the restaurant's front door almost 50 years ago.
Smiley- But it never did get inside the building. We had pallets by the front door and actually they even had a little boat to bring some of the people to work.
Smiley is relieved the levee is holding back the waters, so it doesn't hamper her business. Though she chuckles at the thought.
Smiley- I'm the only restaurant so what's that tell ya. (laughs)
The six-foot-high earthen levee more than a hundred yards along US-60 and it's holding well. That's a good thing because it's the first time its seen use since it was built six years ago. Livingston County Judge-Executive Chris Lasher says the floodwaters are edging up a few feet along the levee's base and without the wall-off, the highway would be about six inches underwater.
Lasher- We would have been shuffling to fill thousands of sand bags.
Lasher says with the county's main thoroughfare shut down, Smiley's would likely be forced to close
Lasher- One of the two gas stations would be closed, Highway 60 would be closed which is pretty big. Smithland would be shut off.
Lasher says with the new levee system in place no emergency flood response is currently necessary.
Lasher- All we had to do was close some gates and get some pumps and pump out internal. We constantly monitor the internal water levels and the city of Smithland has folks pumping that currently on an hour to two hour basis as the retention areas fill up.
Sounds of a pump running and flowing water.
That's what Smithland's temporary waterfront sounds like as water is pumped out of the city's system back into the river. Officials continue to monitor water levels 24/7 and coordinate pumping. Lasher says the vigilance is a welcome alternative to the panic-driven sand bagging efforts of the past. He also praises the levee's savings of manpower, materials and equipment costs. Kentucky Transportation Spokesman Keith Todd estimates the city, county and state are saving anywhere between $50-70,000.
Todd- And by spending an extra $50,000 we were able to build a permanent wall that will do a better job and plus count down on those expenses. So every time the water comes up from now on the county is just saving that much money.
Todd says a flood event in Smithland happens on average every five or six years, so the investment's value is already being realized. Judge Lasher says the levee's first test has proven successful. Next, the county hopes to work on erosion control along the massive earthen levee.
While keeping dry back at Smiley's Levee Caf owner Bev Smiley is anxiously awaiting the state's nod to get wet, but in a different way. She recently applied to be awarded the city's first liquor license after a referendum passed last November.