On June 2, Williamson County commissioners extended the county's disaster declaration that was put in effect after the Memorial Day flooding, and area officials are hoping the county will be eligible for federal assistance.

County commissioners approved the disaster proclamation by a vote of 3-0 Tuesday, with Commissioners Lisa Birkman and Valerie Covey absent. The disaster declaration will remain in effect until it is lifted by the court.

County Judge Dan Gattis declared a local state of disaster May 25, and county officials have been assessing flood damage during the past week to apply for a federal disaster declaration, which would allow both the county and homeowners to apply for aid from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Gov. Greg Abbott requested a Presidential Disaster Declaration for Cooke, Gaines, Grimes,Harris, Hays, Navarro and Van Zandt counties, and President Obama granted the request May 30. Additional counties can be added once they meet the threshold required by the federal government to request federal disaster aid, according to a state news release.

Jarred Thomas, Williamson County Emergency Management coordinator, submitted a disaster summary to the federal agency June 1 that estimated the county withstood $6.7 million in damages from May rainfall.

No estimates were available for damage to private property, though the flash flooding and high winds experienced over Memorial Day weekend affected 200 homes, according to the document. Nearly 110 homes experienced minor damage, 51 experienced major damage and three were destroyed, along with one mobile home and 35 multi-family units.

Nearly 15 businesses in the county were affected, with 11 experiencing minor damage and three with major damage. The total estimated for repairs was $129,000, and the report listed 16 people as unemployed because of the floodwaters.

The county closed more than 85 roads over the weekend because of the rising water, and many experienced structural damage once the waters subsided, said Robert Daigh, the county's senior director of infrastructure. CR 384 remains closed because of storm damage, and chunks of pavement on other roads were completely washed away.

“That’s why it’s not only turn around, don’t drown, but if you do go around barricades, once the water has receded, you need to be very, very cautious because you don’t know what damage has occurred underneath the pavement,” Daigh said.

The estimated $6.7 million price tag for the county included damages to roads and bridges; water controls such as dams; public utilities and recreation facilities; debris clearance and emergency response.

“It gives them an idea of how much damage we’ve sustained within the county so that they can evaluate whether or not we are going to be able to be considered a part of the presidential disaster declaration,” he said.

Thomas said he was optimistic about receiving federal aid, but also did not want to raise the hopes of local homeowners. When the county received significant damage in 2010 during Tropical Storm Hermine, federal funds were declined because the amount of damage to the state as a whole did not reach the threshold for assistance, Thomas said.

“I feel confident enough that our numbers are high enough on public assistance, but I’ve seen this before, and we’ve been declined,” he said. “Until they come back and say ‘you’re in,’ I don’t want to count on it yet.”

Resources to help flood victims can be found at www.wilco.org/oem or www.austintexas.gov/howtohelp.