BISMARCK, ND (KCSi-T.V. News May 29, 2013)  – President Barack Obama Wednessday approved Gov. Jack Dalrymple’s request for a federal disaster declaration to help 16 North Dakota counties and the Spirit Lake Reservation recover from major spring flooding. 

“Several areas of the state have experienced major spring flooding above the response capabilities of local jurisdictions,” Dalrymple said. “With the disaster declaration approved, we can ensure that local, state and federal resources are available for critical flood recovery assistance.”

The disaster declaration makes available federal funding to help local communities cover the costs for flood mitigation and flood recovery efforts. The disaster declaration includes the counties of Benson, Bottineau, Cass, Cavalier, Eddy, Foster, McHenry, Pembina, Ramsey, Renville, Richland, Rolette, Towner, Trail, Walsh and Wells counties as well as the Spirit Lake Reservation. 

The state’s Congressional Delegation supported Dalrymple’s request for a disaster declaration and pressed the Federal Emergency Management Agency for its approval.

Dalrymple requested the disaster declaration May 21, following preliminary flood damage assessments conducted in the Red River of the North Basin, the Devils Lake Basin and the Mouse River Basin.

A heavy snowpack, the state’s latest snowmelt on record, heavy rainfall, a lack of available surface storage and several other factors contributed to major spring flooding. The rapid snowmelt and heavy runoff overwhelmed main stem rivers and their tributaries in several river basins, causing severe overland flooding across the state.