By Carol Schreiber
Review Staff Writer
Jackson City Mayor Wayne Walter welcomed attendees to the visit by Governor Mark Dayton and other state officials on Monday morning. “Thank you to the community and by that I mean the entire county, not just the city,” Walter added. “Everyone has responded.”
Jackson County declared a state of emergency due to the rains that began on June 16. The state declared the emergency, followed by the city of Jackson last week on July 6.
Dayton, along with Congressman Tim Walz, State Senator Julie Rosen, Representatives Bob Gunther and Rod Hamilton, Commissioner of Agriculture Dave Frederickson and State Emergency Management Director Joe Kelly, visited the area. In addition to the stop in Jackson on Monday, the group stopped in Windom and Blue Earth. Dayton had previously visited Slayton, Walnut Grove and Balaton on Friday.
Jackson County Emergency Management Director Tawn Hall indicated that as of Monday morning, $430,000 in damages had been reported in the county, and she expects that number to continue to rise. “I believe it will go up to $750,000,” she added. With several locations still underwater, exact damages are hard to determine at this point.
Roads and bridges throughout the county have been damaged by the flooding and rushing waters from the rainfalls, and the rising rivers and streams.
Hall indicated that the outer townships were more severely affected by the flooding, with the townships in the center of the county having minimal if any damages. “Sioux Valley Township had water over nearly every township road,” she added. “Sioux Valley and Round Lake Townships were the worst.”
“We want to let you know that the state government is here to help,” Dayton pointed out. He expressed his admiration to everyone working together to avert the flood waters and additional damages.
“Keep track of the expenses,” added Congressman Walz, stressing the need for documentation. With that in mind, townships and individuals are encouraged to contact the county Emergency Management Director to report totals. She will then forward that information to the state, which will be working with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
“I learn a lot from seeing the sites driving in or flying in,” Dayton pointed out of his visits to southwestern Minnesota. “The magnitude of the water. The ballfields covered with water and the rivers overflowing.”
State Emergency Management Director Joe Kelly will work closely with area county officials and FEMA. “We will be on your side,” he stated. He has requested FEMA’s assistance. “We need documentation to make the case to the federal government,” Kelly pointed out. Photographs and expense documentation is needed, for damages to public infrastructure as well as to private households and businesses.
Kelly will return in the next couple of weeks to gather the documentation from Hall at Jackson County. Area residents are encouraged to report damages to the county Emergency Management office.
A portion of the federal funds received may be available to use for flood mitigation projects, to help avoid future issues. Fifteen percent is built in for that use, and local matching funds are required according to Kelly.
Commissioner of Agriculture Dave Frederickson pointed out the possibility for zero percent loans for farmers through the Rural Finance Authority (RFA). Interested borrowers should contact their lender or call the RFA at 651-201-6004. More information is also available on the RFA website at www.mda.state.mn.us/agfinance.
Nobles and Rock Counties
The state has declared 37 counties as part of the disaster declaration, including all of southwestern Minnesota.
Neighboring counties have also been affected, either by the rainfalls or the rising of streams and rivers. (See separate story for Murray County information.)
• Joyce Jacobs, Nobles County Emergency Management Director, indicated that most of the damage in Nobles County was due to rain. “We declared a disaster on June 20, following the heavy rainfall,” she said. The preliminary damage assessment shows over $450,000 in damages for the county.
“The bulk of the damage is to township roads,” Jacobs said. Gravel washed off the roadways, shoulder damage and culvert damage have been reported, along with some culverts completely washed out.
She said that 17 of the 20 townships in the county have reported some damage, with Bloom and Dewald Township reporting the highest estimated costs.
Jacobs indicated that she “considers Nobles County pretty fortunate, compared to our neighbors to the north and east,” (Murray, Cottonwood and Jackson Counties).
• Rock County reports an estimated $280,000 in damages to public infrastructure. They declared a state of emergency at a special meeting on June 22.
City of Jackson
The city of Jackson is being affected mainly by water that has come downstream in the flow of the Des Moines River…water that came down as torrential rains in Murray County and other locations over the past couple weeks. Rainfall totals have been reported as 15 to 18 inches.
Walter explained that the city has used sandbags and put up dikes to help alleviate the danger of flooding to homes and businesses in the city. The softball fields along Highway 71 are underwater, and a dike is holding water back there. “Otherwise, it would all be downtown,” explained Sheriff Shawn Haken, pointing down the street.
The softball field is completely covered, and Haken indicated that the water had gone down slightly since it’s high point on Sunday. The top of the fences could be seen, whereas they hadn’t been visible the day before.
The city of Jackson public works department estimates that this year’s high water mark is about three feet from the 1969 high water mark. That flooding event was due to snow melt and ice dams on the Des Moines River.
The Jackson, Lakefield and Alpha Fire Departments have aided the city of Jackson in preparing for the flood waters that have come downstream, in addition to other volunteers.
