Wisconsin Flood Damage Costs Estimated at $30M

Gov. Scott Walker is requesting a federal assessment of damage from last week’s heavy rains to determine whether the state will request federal disaster assistance.

The storm and flooding caused an estimated $30 million in damage in northwestern Wisconsin. State emergency management officials said in a news release Saturday that the storms caused nearly $1.8 million in damage to homes and businesses and $28.8 million to roads, bridges and trails.

Walker is requesting a preliminary damage assessment from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to help determine if the state will request a federal disaster declaration. The assessment is the first step to request federal disaster assistance.

Ashland, Bayfield and Iron counties and Bad River tribal lands are among the hardest hit.

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports Ashland and Bayfield counties each sustained more than $5 million in infrastructure damage. The Bad River area saw more than $1 million in housing damage.