Flood Resources from State Government

As some Wisconsin residents continue to face the threat of flooding and many are trying to move forward to begin the cleanup process, I wanted to put together a list of resources about flood hazards and recovery provided by state government.

Wisconsin Emergency Management’s (WEM) ReadyWisconsin webpage provides current incident reports related to flooding throughout Wisconsin. ReadyWisconsin also has information about how to get emergency cell phone alerts and ways to prepare and plan for emergencies. 

The Dept. of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) provides information about how farmers, private property owners, and businesses should report flood damage. DATCP also provides information about other topics related to flooding including food and produce safety, planning for home repairs, harvesting animal feed from flooded fields, issues related to manure runoff, dealing with flooded farmland, keeping pets and livestock safe during flooding, and how to handle flood contaminated water and fuel storage tanks.

The Dept. of Natural Resources (DNR) provides information for private well owners to ensure the safety of their drinking water if the well was contaminated by floodwater. There is guidance for how to properly dispose of debris and waste after flooding, including what to do with sandbags no longer needed.  Information is available for how to contact DNR staff who can assist farmers who need help storing or safely spreading manure in order to prevent run off into streams and rivers to prevent pollution and potential fish kills.

The Dept. of Health Services (DHS) provides information about potential health hazards related to flooding. The Wisconsin Flood Toolkit contains valuable information designed to keep you safe when flooding occurs and during the cleanup process.

The Office of the Commissioner of Insurance provides information about flood insurance.

Post written by: Abbigail Swanton, Resources for Libraries and Lifelong Learning