Weekend storm damage estimates in Mower County were only $30,000 until “Last night happened.”

That’s how county coordinator Craig Oscarson described the decision to call a special meeting today of the Mower County Board of Commissioners.

Five and a half inches of rainfall overnight Wednesday caused flooding throughout the county, according to county engineer Mike Hanson and emergency management director Wayne Madson.

The southern tier of townships suffered road and bridge damages after severe rains fell June 7. This morning, Racine, Grand Meadow and Frankford township in the northeast corner of the county appeared to be hardest hit.

“Four inches of rain fell in two hours last night,” Ray Tucker, 2nd District commissioner and Dexter volunteer firefighter, said.

The commissioners unanimously approved two resolutions Thursday morning: one was a declaration of a state of emergency and the other was a request for a presidential disaster declaration.

Everyone had a new story to tell as cell phones constantly beeped with new information.

Dave Forland and Jim Lunt were moving liquor stock and other items from the Old Mill Supper Club overlooking the Ramsey Dam and the flooding Cedar River at daylight, according to senior administrative office specialist Kelly Olson, who lives in the Woodhaven residential addition near the Cedar River.

“I talked to a Lansing Township farmer, who said he now lives on lake shore property because of the flooding,” OIson said.

Workers at a new bridge site in Lodi Township reported their rain gauge only registered 1.7 inches rainfall overnight despite the township’s roads being among the hardest hit, according to Hanson.

The east branch of Dobbins Creek flooded, but then rapidly receded between 5:30 and 7:30 a.m. Thursday east of Austin at the Oscarson family residence. “It must have went down a foot in that time,” Oscarson told officials.

A lift station at LeRoy had to be sandbagged by city crews and volunteers, according to the county engineer.

The Cedar River at Lansing was described as “moderately flooded” by Hanson only to have Sheriff Terese Amazi correct him.

“It’s worse now,” Amazi said.

Hanson said the county highway department will not be able to assess bridge damages until the waters in all the rivers and creeks in Mower County have satisfactorily receded.

“Since the floods of September 2004, the roads and bridges have all been repaired from that flood,” Hanson said. “This isn’t as bad as 2004, but it’s going to be bad.”

There were no flood-related deaths or injuries in the county, according to the County Sheriff.

While consensus says there will be millions of dollars in crop losses to Mower County farmers, officials said that assessment will be made by the USDA and separate from the damages to public infrastructure.

Oscarson and Madson cited the county’s experience at seeking state and federal disaster assistance four years ago with facilitating the new applications.

“We’ve done this before,” said Oscarson laconically.