Federal disaster declaration could bring $300,000 in federal funds to Winneshiek County

The White House's announcement that Winneshiek County has been named a federal disaster area could mean some financial help for Winneshiek County--but the process will take awhile.

Winneshiek County officials have been compiling figures about the damages done from June's heavy rainstorms.  County Engineer Lee Bjerke says roughly $300,000 in repairs were necessary because of the flooding.

But county officials will have to meet with Iowa Homeland Security officials and possibly directly with FEMA officials to document everything.  There will be a kickoff meeting some time in the near future and lots of information that will have to be submitted.

But the announcement this week that Winneshiek County is a federal disaster area means the clock has started ticking on the process of getting federal aid to Winneshiek County to help pay for the costs of repairing flood damage.