County will receive $494K in FEMA reimbursement for 2024 flooding

Nobles County commissioners on Tuesday heard an update on Federal Emergency Management Agency reimbursement for drainage repairs sustained during 2024 flooding.

Multiple drainage systems were impacted in June 2024 with flooding that was categorized as a 100-to-125-year event. FEMA initially denied Nobles County and 13 other drainage authorities disaster aid for a misinterpretation of Minnesota statute. The drainage authorities appealed and won in December 2025.

Nobles County Drainage Coordinator Loretta Halbur shared Tuesday that the county will be reimbursed for a total of $494,548.48. She explained that since early 2026, staff had been working with FEMA to determine the final amounts to compensate the systems for desperately needed repairs. She added that discussion on Judicial Ditch 9 repairs and toe-drain installation created a delay in finalization of scope and costs.

"Initially, staff estimated that the drainage systems would receive around $325,000 in disaster aid," Halbur explained in a memo included in the commissioners' meeting packet. She noted that extra work on Judicial Ditch 9, which included the installation of toe drains to mitigate eroding ditch banks, "proved to be complicated." 

Halbur added that FEMA initially tried to cover $85,000 for the original repairs, but a push continued for a determination on the $300,000 toe drain repairs. Ultimately, FEMA resubmitted the project to staff and increased its allocation to $293,000 -- almost $208,000 more than initially expected.

The final total of $293,235.45 for what is deemed as incomplete repairs combined with $201,313.03 in completed repairs to reach the new $494,000 total.