LONG ROAD TO RECOVERY

The flood recovery process is far from finished in Riv-R-Land Estates, where the waters have receded but much of the mess remains.

The Siouxland Recovery Fund and the Siouxland Salvation Army are offering some help, providing $183,000 for homeowners.

The money is to be used mainly for smaller repairs to furnaces, water heaters, electrical and plumbing.

Riv-R-Land Estates Homeowners Association treasurer Kim Blaeser says gutting flooded homes, tearing down sheet rock and drying out the wood dried has been a huge task this fall.

She says everyone wants to believe they will get back home again. 

Riv-R-Land officials estimate that it will take around $1.3 million to make a lot of the homes livable again.