Flood damage in Dane County exceeds $100 million. County Executive Joe Parisi said Friday the initial assessment totals $108 million, with about two-thirds of the total to private homes and businesses and a third to public property.
BREAKING: Initial damage assessment:
859 reports to 2-1-1 from private homes & businesses – $69 mil.
Public Sector – $38 mil.
Total $108 Million.
— Joe Parisi (@DaneCoJoe) August 24, 2018
So far, 859 reports have been made to United Way of Dane County, which gathers damage reports. Much of the damage to date has been concentrated in western Dane County. But that could change if more rain falls as expected.
Madison city officials are moving to long term mitigation of the flooding along the Yahara river and Lake Monona. Mayor Paul Soglin said officials are less worried about flash flooding, and more worried about the rising level of the lakes.
“It’s going to have the water that hits the lake and river pushing water back into the storm sewers, and with no place to go, it’s going to rise into drains and basement floors,” the Mayor said.
Parts of the Isthmus are already seeing standing water, and major roads are expected to be closed for at least a week if not more. Soglin says this is a situation with will simply take time to sort out as water heads out of Lake Monona.
Soglin said that the worries about the Tenney Dam failing are past, and they’re looking to help prevent individual tragedies now. “The dam is operable, the county is finding it’s working fine. I would be more concerned about somebody in a wet basement fooling around with electricity.”
“Dane County residents have shown their resilience over the last week,” said County Executive Parisi. “I am so proud of our first responders, emergency personal and residents who have worked around the clock to help their neighbors and households across the county affected by this horrific event.”