On May 10, President Barack Obama approved Gov. Jack Dalrymple’s request for a full disaster declaration to help communities across North Dakota recover from spring flooding.

“This is good news for North Dakota and especially those who have worked tirelessly to protect their communities from flooding,” Dalrymple said. “Getting this request approved means the federal government is a full partner in our flood-fighting efforts.”

Pierce County is among the 39 counties designated as disaster areas.

FEMA was recently in Pierce County doing preliminary damage assessments. With this declaration, a FEMA team will need to come back to the counties and make a final assessment of the damage before funds will be awarded to the counties involved, according to Karin Fursather, auditor, Pierce County.

The presidential disaster declaration makes available federal funding to help state and local communities cover the costs of building levees and other measures taken to safeguard people and property from flooding. The disaster declaration makes available federal assistance to help cover the costs of flood mitigation efforts undertaken since Feb. 14, 2011, as requested by Governor Dalrymple.

The emergency declaration includes 39 counties, the Spirit Lake Nation, the Three Affiliated Tribes and the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa reservations. The counties listed in the disaster declaration are: Barnes, Benson, Bottineau, Burke, Cass, Cavalier, Dickey, Eddy, Foster, Grand Forks, Grant, Griggs, Kidder, LaMoure, Logan, McHenry, McIntosh, McLean, Mercer, Morton, Mountrail, Nelson, Pembina, Pierce, Ramsey, Ransom, Renville, Richland, Rolette, Sargent, Sheridan, Steele, Stutsman, Towner, Traill, Walsh, Ward, Wells and Williams.

Additional designations can be added if requested by the state and warranted by the results of damage assessments.

With the amount of snow that fell this winter, residents of Pierce County prepared for a wet spring, but the flooding was even worse than expected, calling for many roads in the area to be closed temporarily. Some of these roads have huge potholes and washouts and will need to be repaired or replaced.

Dalrymple requested a full presidential declaration for the state of North Dakota under the Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act on Feb. 25, 2011 in anticipation of severe spring flooding.