CLARKSVILLE -- With the Shell Rock River receding, cleanup efforts are flowing strong in Clarksville and Greene.

While water may no longer be covering roads, last week's flooding took a toll on shoulders and railroad tracks. About a block-long portion of the southeast-bound lane of Iowa Highway 3 was swept away northwest of Shell Rock, near the Fagen Inc. ethanol plant.

Crews have been working since Friday night to repair a main Iowa Northern Railway line in Clarksville, possibly by week's end, said Rod Tudor, chief engineer with the railway.

The sewer system was getting close to operational as of 1 p.m. Monday, said Bruce Hoodjer, maintenance superintendent, but sometimes "close is as good as a mile." Flooding has not affected drinking water. Residents are asked limit sewer usage.

The city maintenance shed looked more like a town dump with spray-painted plywood signs indicating areas for sandbags, hazardous materials, appliances and electronics. A pile of debris waited to be scooped into green Waste Management Dumpsters, which are being hauled to the Hardin County landfill near Iowa Falls. "Everything looks bad now, jiminy. Nobody needs to go through this -- nobody," Hoodjer said.

Jeff "Butch" Ragsdale, a 25-year Clarksville resident, was hunting among mud-painted TVs, lamps, refrigerators and hot water heaters for an old-style washing machine drum. He'd had only a trace of water in his basement but was looking to screen debris for a buddy's sump pump.

He also dropped off a pickup load of junk from various neighbors.

"Smell that? I think that's that old gas floating down(stream)," said Ragsdale. "This is my third flood, and I'm getting a little tired."

Water pumping continues on the southwest part of town, and the sun should kill bacteria on playgrounds, Hoodjer said. Also, several folks are dealing with caved-in basements.

Meals at the high school and tetanus shots for those in contact with the unsanitary water have been offered.

The town's Pioneer Days event last weekend was canceled.

A classroom at Greene High School was being converted into city offices, displaced after two to three feet of water soaked newly remodeled municipal office space downtown. Bottom desk drawers had been moved to higher ground, and computers and other equipment survived. However, water seeped into a safe containing old documents.

The high school also serves as an as-needed shelter from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., with meals from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Drinking water, bleach or cleanup kits are also available.

Tap water is safe for drinking, and the sewer system is damaged but OK, Knapp said. A west-side lift station was submerged last week and may eventually need to be replaced.

Homes with damaged water heaters or flooded basements are likely still without gas. The utility was shut off late June 8 as river debris battered a gas line running over the river. Officials then went house to house restoring power and relighting pilot lights, Knapp said.

A few blocks away at the community center, an official with Hawkeye Valley Area Agency on Aging was picking up salvageable items used for catering meals for seniors. Congregate lunches have been relocated.

Tables, chairs and other items will be stored in the elementary school until a structural engineer and FEMA representative determine the future of the community center later this week, said Monsignor Walter Brunkan, a member of the community center board, pastor at St. Mary's Catholic Church and former longtime principal at Columbus High School in Waterloo. Water filled the community center's basement last week, disintegrating the suspended ceiling and ruining a teen room . The hot water heater floated, and a freezer tipped over, Brunkan added.

"The basement's flooded (before) but never more than a couple inches -- the last four floods, anyway," said center custodian Barb Raisty, a longtime Greene resident. "That's the ones I cleaned up after."

"It'd be a major operation to get this functional again," said Brunkan, shaking his head.

A town junk pile sat just outside the community center. Knapp said it's a losing battle to keep up with trucking away debris -- a 2 1/2 hour round trip to the Hardin County landfill. Dumpsters will be available for the next month.

The town's River Days celebration has been postponed, possibly until fall.

Some flood victims who've registered damage claims with the Federal Emergency Management Agency at www.fema.gov have seen reimbursement, Knapp said. City losses have yet to be assessed as a meeting with FEMA was canceled Monday afternoon.

A FEMA official was set to visit Lisa Rodberg on Monday. Rodberg, a 2-year Greene resident, and her three sons, ages 18, 16 and 13, are split up living with relatives after water gushed into the basement of their rented home. The swelling river claimed an uninsured car and a camper.

They plan to return whenever their landlord can get things fixed.

Nearly every downtown business suffered losses, Knapp said. But by Monday, several displayed open signs.

A Disaster Recovery Center is planned in the Greene High School cafeteria Saturday and Sunday from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Federal officials will offer disaster assistance options.

Help for small businesses is limited, Knapp noted.

"I sat in church Sunday night and just cried for all the businesses that might just say, 'To heck with it,'" City Clerk Jayne Knapp said. "There's going to need to be some decisions made on whether they want to make this investment at this stage in their lives. Hopefully, they will."

Vinyl and carpet rolls in Dralle's Department Store warehouse across the alley behind the store were damaged, along with seasonal items and rubber footwear in the store's flooded basement.

But it will take more than an estimated $50,000 in losses to end this store's 112-year tradition.

"Absolutely," said co-owner Jeff Dralle. "Our customers are pretty loyal."

Contact Tina Hinz at (319) 291-1484 or tina.hinz@wcfcourier.com.