CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Clarksville is one of several communities that has seen a steady rain since this severe weather system first came through Wednesday night. But unlike some communities, Clarksville is already pretty water-logged from flooding events earlier this year.
Perhaps the most dramatic example of high water in Tennessee's Queen City is on Elberta Drive. Looking out from Candace Payne's front yard, there's only one way she can describe it.
"I’m a sitting duck," said Payne.
There aren't any creeks or rivers near her house except when an impromptu lake forms from all the heavy precipitation.
"Lake Elberta has come from a dry field and struck me," Payne said, giving the name she's given the body of water on her street. "I’m pretty much already in the headspace that it is going to flood. It’ll probably start flooding by tomorrow."
Payne has a pretty good idea on the timing because her house has flooded before — three times in less than a year, counting this event, the February floods and heavy rain in May 2024.
"I’ve got more tarp than walls at this point," said Payne. "Everything down here was brand new as of 2022, and it’s gone."
Local churches and nonprofits, like United Way and the Mosaic Church, were preparing to begin restoration on Payne's home this week. A new order of drywall sat under a rain soaked tarp in her driveway.
Payne said she had no idea her house was prone to flooding when she bought it a few years ago, so she didn't get flood insurance. She said the City of Clarksville's Street Department has told her additional drains won't fix the problem.
"They’ve already said that it’s not fixable so fix it and buy me out," she said.
To Candace, the city of Clarksville buying her out is the only solution that makes sense at this point.
"Then make it a green space so it won’t be built on. I’ve been pushing for that since May, and I’m still waiting," said Payne.
Shortly after we finished our interview with her, we went back to her garage and found that water was already starting to flood the inside of her home.
"Oh, awesome. Damn, OK," she said with frustration. "So it begins."
Payne will be forced to wait for the water to recede, yet again.
"I’m exhausted, mentally, emotionally, physically. I’m drained. I can’t take too much more, and nobody should have to," said Payne.
We reached out to the City of Clarksville about Payne's predicament. This was their statement in response to our email:
"For now we are focused on the task at hand, which is gathering and mobilizing all available resources, and preparing swiftly based on the weather forecast for the remainder of this week. But we have been studying the previous flooding issues in Clarksville and seeking assistance at all levels to reach resolution, and will share more information as it becomes available."
Do you have more information about this story? You can email me at Chris.Davis@NewsChannel5.com.
My friend and colleague Carrie Sharp had a lot of fun last week, on an adventure to a country more than three thousand miles away! She’s back now – sharing her Adventures in Iceland through stories, and incredible images of this remarkably beautiful and unique island nation (kudos to Chief Photographer Catherine Steward)! But did you know Nashville has something very important in common with Iceland? Tourism! Here, Carrie explains how a volcanic eruption decades ago helped save the country’s economy from collapse!
-Rhori Johnston
