LAKE WENATCHEE — Even with costs nearing $4.5 million and more than 40 homes damaged, it does not look like December’s snow storm around Lake Wenatchee will bring federal financial help.

A federal emergency declaration would have qualified the Chelan County PUD and county public works and sheriff’s departments for reimbursement for their repair and overtime costs. It could also have qualified property owners for federal aid to repair uninsured damage.

“It was just an isolated storm and the damage was just in that area,” said Sgt. Kent Sisson of Chelan County Emergency Management. “We haven’t given up yet, but it doesn’t look like we’ll get anywhere near the number we need to reach.”

The threshold for a federal disaster declaration is $9.1 million in costs and uninsured damage.

The local totals so far are $4.2 million to repair Chelan County PUD infrastructure; $228,000 in overtime costs for Public Works; and 40 residences damaged by falling trees.

Sisson said not all the damage has been assessed so far because many properties are vacation or second homes and some won’t be accessible until spring. Also, the PUD has not completed all its repairs to damaged power and fiber optics lines.

He said the state Department of Emergency Management tried to cast a bigger net for damage, incorporating any place in the state that incurred winter storm damage between Dec. 16 and the end of the month.

But that only increased the total to amount $5.5 million.

Michelle McNiel: 664-7152

mcniel@wenatcheeworld.com