Conditions have improved across all three watersheds in Austin, according to Austin Police Chief Paul Philipp, who met with state and Federal Emergency Management Agency staff Thursday afternoon to determine initial damage assessments and set the course for further investigations Friday and in the coming days.

“They’re starting the damage assessments to find out what’s out there and what needs to be repaired,” Philipp said during a press conference Thursday afternoon, adding Friday that FEMA wouldn’t likely determine funding totals, if any, for seven to 10 days. “It’s just a matter of getting a better handle on things once the water goes down.”

According to the National Weather Service, the Cedar River, Dobbins Creek and Turtle River are on the decline following severe thunderstorms late Wednesday night and early Thursday morning that caused major flooding in neighborhoods and businesses surrounding waterways.

At the press conference Thursday Philipp said the Cedar River was “holding its own” at 22.4 feet Thursday; the river’s reading at 7:30 a.m. today was 18.5 feet. Turtle Creek has dipped to 7.3 feet, Philipp said. Flood stage is 10.5 feet.

The latest readings from the National Weather Service show Dobbins Creek at 9.04 feet, down from almost 19 feet Thursday.

“We like the blue sky,” Philipp said Thursday. “As the day wears on, the forecast looks good.”

City authorities awoke early Thursday morning to assess damages, and began notifying affected residents around 3 a.m., according to Philipp.

“(My husband) went to bed around 1 a.m., and at 2 a.m. the cops were knocking on our door,” Marian Dulitz of 21st Street Southwest said. “It came up that fast.”

Friends, families, neighbors and business owners were hard at work filling and strategically placing sandbags in the most severely-hit regions, such as Mill Pond near Main Street, neighborhoods along Turtle Creek, regions east of the Cedar River near City Hall and Oakland Avenue East.

“It still impresses me how neighbors help neighbors,” Philipp said today.

“The neighbors in their areas just know each other, and just know what they need to do to help each other,” he said.

Sam Williams, 20, woke at 5 a.m. to help with sump pumps, and, by 10:30 a.m., was still laying sandbags at The Cedars of Austin near Mill Pond on First Drive Northwest.

Williams said his grandmother had been bought out by the city of Austin as part of flood mitigation efforts, during which the officials have spent millions relocating businesses and community members chronically struck by floods.

“Certainly our losses would have been much worse without the flood mitigation over the last years,” Philipp said.

Its $28.5 million flood mitigation plan is in progress; of the $11.5 Main Street flood plan, construction crews are working on Phase 8, which includes earthen berms and cement walls from Second Avenue Northeast to Packer Arena.

Philipp said that their work has not been heavily compromised.

The city of Austin passed a resolution this morning declaring a state-of-emergency in Austin, and approved pick-up services for the community members starting Monday.

County coordinator Craig Oscarson said staff would be doing a survey of commissioners to determine whether to offer the same to county residents, as they did in 2004.

The Red Cross is offering services to affected residents, both through a mobile feeding unit and its Fourth Avenue Northwest site. Hours will be 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. today and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, according to executive director Elaine Hansen, who said much-needed donations can be made to the Mower County Chapter Disaster Relief Fund.

The Red Cross, as well as city, county and FEMA authorities will be conducting assessments to help determine relief needs. Philipp said $6.5 million in damages are required to qualify for federal aid.

He thought that the combination of damages from Freeborn, Mower, Fillmore and Winona Counties would likely exceed that figure.

Mower County Sheriff Terese Amazi said that small towns throughout the county fared well, though some road closures continue.

She and Philipp remind residents to avoid blocked roadways, as well as flooded regions.

“It’s important to know that some of the roads are washed away under these waters,” Philipp said. “Don’t drive through the water — I don’t know how many times we’ve said it.