Flood damage in Freeborn County wasn’t as centralized or dramatically noticeable as that in Austin or Mason City, Iowa, but costs are racking almost $600,000 countywide since June 11.

“That one downpour, that 5 1/2 inches, it’s just way too much too fast,” said Sheriff Mark Harig. “The roads couldn’t handle it. The ditches couldn’t handle it. Nothing was designed for that.”

To gain federal assistance for the affected areas, the Freeborn County commissioners Tuesday asked Gov. Tim Pawlenty to petition President George W. Bush to declare Freeborn County a major disaster area. The resolution was passed unanimously.

The emergency resolution was issued and signed June 12 by Chairman Glen Mathiason. Since the initial flooding, the Freeborn County Highway Department and township officials have been conducted extensive appraisals and reported damages to the state.

Passing the request to declare a major disaster doesn’t mean funds will be available. The president first has to declare a major disaster area in Freeborn County. Then FEMA has to decide if the area is eligible. If there are funds available, the affected areas and agencies have to apply for the money.

Rep. Tim Walz, Sens. Amy Klobuchar and Norm Coleman asked President Bush Tuesday to make a presidential disaster declaration for four southern Minnesota counties that were hit by floods: Houston, Fillmore, Mower and Freeborn. According to a press release, the four counties combined sustained almost $8.3 million in damages from recent floods.

“At a time like this, local communities should not be expected to fend for themselves,” Klobuchar said. “The federal government has an essential role to support communities as they recover and rebuild. The people and businesses in this area are clearly going to need some assistance, and we need to get it there as soon as possible.”

The three lawmakers signed and submitted an official letter to the president asking him for help and allow FEMA funds to supplement state and local recovery efforts.

Freeborn County is making itself known as a flood-ravaged area.

Saturday Director of Freeborn County Emergency Management Mark Roche met with Coleman and state Rep. Dan Sparks when they were in Austin reviewing damage. Roche said he reminded the legislators that Freeborn County, too, was affected by flood waters.

Harig said the regional Homeland Security representative called him last week to get damage estimates so when FEMA considered aid for Minnesota counties Freeborn wouldn’t be left out.

The county

Within Freeborn County, Harig said he estimates $400,000 to $500,000 worth of damage, not including damage within township jurisdiction.

Exact totals could not be released yet, Harig said. County departments are still organizing all information.

“We haven’t reached a point yet where we know how much loss we have,” he said.

County ditches are backed up with debris from flood waters, and some roads were affected. County Road 34, which was washed out, will be rerouted on a long-term basis.

Harig said he asked all townships and fire departments to document the expenses connected to flood damage and repairs so if federal funds are available the departments can be reimbursed.

“We’re drying up right now, but heavy rains coming back can be an issue,” Roche said.

Townships

There are eight out of 20 townships reporting significant damage from last week’s floods, according to Roche. They are Shell Rock, Oakland, London, Hayward, Freeman, Riceland, Nunda and Moscow.

Of the eight that reported issues, the sheriff said he estimated three or four had significant damage.

Roche said township damage is reported in the thousands each, totaling more than $50,000. Those are large chunks of money, he said, when some township budgets for road repairs and upkeep are not much more than $10,000.

“For the townships themselves, it’s quite a burden on them,” Roche said.

There are many reports of high waters washing out corn crops that are now clogging culverts, tile intakes and drainage ditches requiring extensive cleanup efforts, according to Roche.

Ditches are filled with gravel that washed off roads. There are some serious shoulder erosions, and townships are hauling in gravel to rebuild roads.

Repair costs include the grating needed to even out roads. Roche recommends drivers watch their speeds on township roads because of the loose gravel recently replaced.

Costs were incurred when some township officials had to go out the night of the flooding to barricade washed out roads.

The night of the flooding — June 11 — London and Myrtle firefighters responded to fast-water rescues. This presented the need for life jackets in each Sheriff’s Office squad car, Harig said, which will come when the latest grant goes through.

He said the county will also look into acquiring funds for life jackets to be put in each fire truck.

“It would have been nice to have them,” the sheriff said.

Private property damage

Many residents in outlying areas of Freeborn County — particularly in the southeast corner — reported water in basements. Roche said residents who had basement flooding should clean with a solution of bleach and water to decontaminate. There could be bacteria and farm chemicals in flood water, he said.

Harig said there haven’t been many reports of damage from private homes, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t significant damage. Harig and Roche did not have an exact estimate of the number of homes affected.

The city of Oakland reported sewage backup in some residential basements. The sheriff said the backup was not rain water, which could indicate an issue with a lift station, but he wasn’t sure.

In the southeast part of the county — including the cities of London and Myrtle — there are concerns of well contaminations because flood waters covered or came near the tops of private wells. Roche recommends people contact the Freeborn County Public Health Department if there are any concerns about the safety of well water.

The watershed water level

Shell Rock River Watershed District Administrator Brett Behnke said the low level of Albert Lea Lake created extra holding capacity, so the watershed fared well with the water level. Lakes and streams within the county are doing all right.

Freeborn County is a flat area, so the excess water causing floods comes from the sky, Harig said, not from snow melt or rivers backing up. All the rivers and creeks in the county drain into other counties.

“We’re unique that we don’t have a large river or anything like that that we have to worry about,” he said. “People take for granted the road is always going to be there. It always has been, and they expect it to be. When it’s raining so intensely that you can’t see past the hood of your car you can’t see that the road has washed out.

“It just seems like we get a lot of severe weather we never had 50 years ago,” Harig said. “Weather conditions have changed.”