Tornado damage assessments underway, with some federal help expected
BRANCH COUNTY — Federal Emergency Management Agency, agriculture and conservation officials, and the Branch County Road Commission are conducting assessments to determine what was done and what is next following the May 8 tornado that struck Sherwood Township.
Farm and reforesting help
Programs to help farmers and reforest trees after the May 8 tornado could open, Branch County Farm Service Agency Executive Director Linda Snyder said after a meeting Monday of county agricultural officials.
Snyder said in an email she requested permission to take applications from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. "After viewing the pictures for both Branch and St. Joe counties, the state office believes a 60-day sign up period may be warranted."
Federal programs for homes and businesses must wait for this week's FEMA and Small Business Administration reports after the surveys.
The FEMA survey did not cover farm building, grain bins, irrigation pivots, and farm equipment.
Jennifer Wortz, the Branch County Conservation District executive manager, said that a forest land cleanup program exists federally. "Some funding should be coming for all of that tree debris and those things," she said.
"The other programs are cropland rehabilitation. Lots of irrigation was torn out," she said.
One survey identified 147 irrigation pivots damaged in Branch and St. Joseph counties.
The emergency conservation program pays up to 75% of removing debris from farmland and restoring fences.
The reforestation program pays up to 75% for debris removal, including down or damaged trees to establish a new stand or provide for natural regeneration.
Drains and rivers
Branch County Drain Commissioner Mike Hard will survey the drains in the storm's area to determine what needs to be cleaned out to prevent water backups and flooding.
Trees are down in the St. Joseph River, especially near the Arney Road bridge west of Dunks Road.
Wortz said the National Resources Conservation Service will help with those.
"Because there's a lot of debris down in the river and along the river, I'm also going to be applying for a grant for clean up," Wortz said.
Branch County Road Commission
Branch County Road Commission staff continue removing trees and debris from roadsides.
"All roads were opened after 12 hours, by Wednesday (May 9) morning," Road Commission Manager Jay Miller said.
Miller said 90% of his staff worked to clean up roadways, some working 30 hours straight after the tornado hit just after 6 p.m. Tuesday, May 8.
Commission supervisor Brian Washburn said all the paved roads are open and cleared, while several gravel roads still need work.
Washburn said trees and debris moved off the highway are burned on a curve at Thrams and Milligam roads. "The ash pile as already 12 feet high."
Many of the trees were 150-year-old hard maple trees, Washburn said.
Road Commission crews will work on debris until it is finished, but most will return to summer road construction next week.
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Washburn said during the cleanup, "The biggest issue was the rubberneckers. Cars driving by to see the damage. Every one of them had their phones out the window taking pictures."
The road crew supervisor who lives in the area praised Consumers Energy's power crews. "We had a mess. They really had a massive ball of wires that was tangled up. I didn't think they'd get power back up that quick."
Wortz and the others expect the work to take months to complete and that it will take years before the tornado's impact can't be seen.
— Contact Don Reid: dReid@Gannett.com
This article originally appeared on Coldwater Daily Reporter: Tornado damage assessments underway, with some federal help expected
