But on Monday, the Board of Aldermen voted not to build again this time, said Mayor Jo Anne Smiley. She said the city treasury had no reserves to pay for another flood fight, each of which has cost at least $400,000.

“We paid off last year’s just a month ago and haven’t had time to catch up,” she said Wednesday.

Smiley said property owners were building temporary defenses. She was optimistic their efforts would hold.

She said the city wanted to buy a $3.5 million portable floodwall that could be raised quickly upon a low foundation, but had no commitments for assistance from the state or federal governments.

On Wednesday, the river at Clarksville was at 29.8 feet and rising — onto the park but not Front Street — and is expected to crest at 34 feet Tuesday. That would be nine feet over flood stage. The record there is 37.7 feet.

In Grafton, the crest forecast for July 10 would put water on low spots of Main Street. But Mayor Tom Thompson said the river wouldn’t get there until after the holiday weekend, which includes a fireworks show Saturday.

“Everything is open for business,” Thompson said.