Lac qui Parle County flood damage tops $1 million

May 23-- May 23--MADISON -- Flood damages in Lac qui Parle County have surpassed $1 million.

Preliminary damage assessments provided earlier this month to the Federal Emergency Management Agency and state Homeland Security and Emergency Management Division revealed more damage than previously projected, particularly to the ditch systems and the cities of Boyd and Dawson, according to Blain Johnson, emergency management director for the county.

According to a news release from Johnson, the assessment indicated total damages of $1,174,797.00. Applicants who applied for assistance were 21 of the county's 22 townships. Lac qui Parle Township was the only township not reaching the $3,200 project-minimum threshold.

The county's Emergency Management Department, Highway Department, as well as the Lac qui Parle Yellow Bank Watershed District, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, the city of Boyd and the city of Madison also applied for reimbursement for flood-related costs and repairs.

Over the past two weeks, FEMA and the state conducted 54 preliminary damage assessments on county and tribal communities affected by spring flooding.

According to the news release, Lac qui Parle County came in eighth highest of the 54 in total amount of damages. This equates to a $161.84-per-person cost ratio, the second highest county, beat only by Jackson.

The state in total suffered about $40 million in damages and will be seeking a federal declaration from President Donald Trump in the coming weeks.

In terms of economic damage, this spring's flood was one of the worst disasters in county history, Johnson said in the release.

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