Two businesses, Appomattox River Company and Price Supply Company, located on the Farmville and Cumberland County line, saw some damage as a result of flooding on the weekend of May 19 when heavy rains caused the Appomattox to swell and flood onto nearby roads.

The incident also impacted locations on N. South Street including the Islamic Center of Prince Edward County, where flooding caused flooring and carpeting to be removed. FACES Food Pantry was also flooded. Appomattox River Company at 614 N. Main St. and Price Supply Company at 105 Old Plank Road, reported to be faring well after some initial clean up.

Brian Vincent, marketing manager for Appomattox River Company, said Thursday that General Manager Tom Detrick, saw the predicted water levels prior to the May 19 flood and moved all of the kayaks out of the section of the warehouse that would become the most flooded.

Vincent said the section of the warehouse is affectionately referred to as the dungeon, as it lowers into another floor of the building.

Detrick was able to gauge the water, Vincent said, due to river gauge equipment supplied by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

“So without that gauge, we would have sustained some losses due to damaged product,” Vincent said.

“There was a lot of clean up to be done after,” Vincent said. “We’ve just started moving some of the kayaks back into that area but are holding a little to see what happens with the rain this week.”

He said Farmville, Prince Edward County and Cumberland County are all in the Appomattox River basin.

“Back in 2013 the Farmville Town Council and Prince Edward Board of Supervisors stepped up to split the cost of the gauge to maintain its operational status after the U.S. Geological Survey suffered budget cuts due to sequestration and could no longer maintain it,” Vincent said. “As a Farmville business, and one of the largest private employers in Cumberland County we are deeply grateful for their decision to do so. Our (general manager) Tom Detrick has alarms set to go off whenever the river gauge hits certain levels so that we can make sure we are prepared for flooding. We’d recommend every business in the area do the same.”

Charles Wilkerson, owner of Prince Supply Company, said while water had surrounded all sides of the building, there was minimal damage inside of the building, and the business opened under normal hours that Monday.

“We lucked out,” Wilkerson said.

He said the store first opened in 1968, and had seen severe flooding with water in the building in 1969 and 1972.