Hess said most residents with water in their basements, or even those with ruined water heaters and furnaces, will not see cash coming from this potential government declaration. Hess has been assisting Carl Kuehl, Clayton County Disaster Coordinator, with assessments at French Town and on the two islands. Hess said he had great help over the weekend from Don Wille and Gloria Waldorf in calculating how many homes at French Town and Abel Island respectively had been affected by the high water. As the water recedes, and if the disaster declaration is made, several response teams will be send to Guttenberg to meet with private, commercial and public property owners. The response team members will define minor damage as water in the basement level.
Major damage is described as water in the first flood living area up to the doorknob.
If the water covers the doorknobs, the home is considered destroyed. Hess' inventory of homes on Esmann will continue the week of April 30. As this national story flows south outside our door, again The Press and readers of history say thanks to everyone who graciously took time to comment on the Flood of '01. The list of record crests published April 25 in The Press was from the National Weather Service and was measured by tail water on the south side of Lock and Dam 10. Both pool and tail water numbers are used by various agencies and news organizations.