DULUTH — St. Louis County has declared a state of local disaster area due to the winter's record-setting snow leading to flood damage this month.
County commissioners approved a resolution Tuesday. The disaster area includes water-covered roads, washed-out culverts, overwhelmed wastewater treatment systems and residential flooding.
The declaration allows the sheriff's emergency management division to seek funding assistance from the state and FEMA on behalf of itself, along with cities, townships, unorganized areas and public utilities in the county.
The National Weather Service in Duluth has forecast river levels to be at moderate to major flood stage. The county is assisting with sand and sandbagging efforts.
According to county officials, staff are working with local jurisdictions to gather and submit damage assessment estimates to the State of Minnesota Homeland Security Emergency Management Division. If the funding is approved by the state, it would reimburse costs to repair damaged public infrastructure and other flood response expenses.
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The county has been continually working to reopen roads as water levels recede and repairs are made. A map showing current road closures as well as other resources related to flooding can be found at stlouiscountymn.gov/flood .
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