Preliminary assessment teams will begin surveying damage left by the flooded Black and White rivers this week, focusing on private property including houses and apartments, according to the Arkansas Department of Emergency Management.
Teams consisting of officials with the department, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Small Business Administration and local emergency officials will tour seven counties this week, according to Melody Daniel, a spokesman with the state Emergency Management Department.
Surveys are set for Jackson, Lawrence, Poinsett, Prairie, Randolph, White and Woodruff counties.
"That's good news for Pocahontas," Daniel said, referring to the Randolph County town that took flooding two weeks ago when the rising Black River overtopped its levee, causing it to break in nine places.
Water rushed into an east Pocahontas residential area and then south toward Lawrence County. More than 150 homes were flooded, and thousands of acres of cropland were destroyed.
Flooding began in areas across much of the state April 29 and 30 when storms dumped up to 6 inches of rain in northwestern and northern Arkansas. At least nine people died.
In southern Missouri, 10 inches of rain fell, causing the Current River to reach record levels in Van Buren, Mo., and Doniphan, Mo., before water poured into the Black River in Randolph County.
The river at Pocahontas climbed to a record level May 2, cresting at 28.95 feet.
The glut of water moved down the Black River and into the White River at its confluence near Jacksonport.
The White River crested at 33.98 feet in Clarendon on Friday and is slowly receding. Flood stage there is 26 feet.
In St. Charles, the White River climbed to 32.75 feet Monday afternoon.
Rains last week did not cause any additional flooding, said Tabitha Clarke, a hydrologist with the National Weather Service in North Little Rock.
"There's no effect, other than maybe slightly slowing down the fall," she said. "It's like pouring a little water into a bathtub."
The National Weather Service predicts skies will remain clear through Wednesday before a slight chance of rain enters the state. A second system is expected to move into Arkansas on Saturday, bringing more rain chances, Clarke said.
Last week, damage assessment teams completed inspections of Benton, Boone, Carroll, Marion and Washington counties in northern and northwestern Arkansas, as well as Yell County, Daniel said.
Residents shouldn't be concerned if the assessment teams do not inspect their damage, Daniel said. A total of 400 homes were damaged in Washington County, but teams looked at only 90.
Local emergency-management coordinators will make more detailed inspections in their counties to catalog individual owners, inspect properties and take applications for assistance after the assessment teams are finished.
"If you have any damage, call your local emergency-management county coordinator," Daniel said.
Once assessments are completed, the Emergency Management Department will compile a report on damage for a decision on whether it qualifies for federal disaster assistance. The governor would then make a request for federal assistance through the regional Federal Emergency Management Agency office.
The request would then make its way to President Donald Trump, who would decide whether to make the disaster declaration and allocate money for help, Daniel said.
David Jansen, the county judge of Randolph County, said he will meet with federal emergency officials today.
He said some county roads are still inaccessible because of high water and Arkansas 304 in eastern Pocahontas remains closed because parts of the roadway were damaged by floodwaters.
"There are sections of 304 that the asphalt is gone," Jansen said. "It turned into a gravel road."
He said he is glad officials are finally in his county to inspect damage.
"Our folks need to see them," he said. "We had a lot of damage. They need all the help we can get them."
State Desk on 05/16/2017