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State leaders continue to survey flood damage
Flooding has caused damage to more than 40 counties throughout the state since last week, as leaders are taking tours to survey the aftermath.
MANKATO, Minn. (FOX 9) - After taking an aerial tour of the flood damage in southern Minnesota, Governor Tim Walz says he got a better idea of the scope of the challenges several communities are facing.
"We're not out of the woods yet. Water levels are still rising. We have not reached peak water levels in many of these communities yet so that is going to add to this," said Gov. Walz.
State officials are more optimistic that the Rapidan Dam will hold after the Blue Earth River dropped slightly by Tuesday morning.
While the erosion under the house has slowed considerably, the water is still eating away at the earth toward the park.
But state officials say other dams around Minnesota are faring well.
"Right now, there's no other dams that are in imminent danger. There may be some others that we're keeping an eye on but right now, we think we're okay," said Minnesota Department of Public Safety Commissioner Bob Jacobson.
State officials say once the water recedes, assessing the damage will begin, which they believe will meet the $10.5 million threshold for the federal government to pick up 75% of the cost of rebuilding damaged infrastructure.
"I am not an engineer, but looking at that dam and seeing the severe damage there, as well as washed out roads in Minnesota, I believe we could well be into our $10.5 million. That is the level at which federal aid would kick in for public infrastructure," said Senator Amy Klobuchar.
But the human toll the flooding across the state is taking may be much harder to calculate.
"You really realize that all of these farmers, all of these businesses, all of these residents, They're real people. Real businesses that are suffering right now," said Jacobson.