Flood damage to a road in Buffalo County (Photo: WI Emergency Management)
Governor Scott Walker has issued an executive order declaring a state of emergency in parts of western Wisconsin to help residents and local governments recover from floods early this month.
The order applies to Buffalo, Trempealeau, and Eau Claire counties in western Wisconsin. Between August 10-11, five to eight inches of rain fell during the two day period, damaging roads and other infrastructure in the region. Several state highways closed by the flooding have since reopened. Walker has asked the Federal Highway Administration to help fund road repair costs of around $1.8 million. The total damage was not enough to qualify for more general disaster aid from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
“Heavy rains earlier this month resulted in significant damage to public and private properties across a portion of western Wisconsin,” walker said in a statement. “We’re focusing state and federal resources to repair damaged infrastructure and keep people and commerce moving.”
Monday’s order does not apply to a second round of heavy rains that fell on Auguswt 19, which flooded some of the same homes.