MADISON, Wis. -- Assessment teams of federal, state and local officials evaluated flood damage Saturday in southwestern Wisconsin.

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Federal Emergency Management Agency spokesman Brad Craine said the assessment will continue Sunday and possibly Monday.

He said the information gathered from homeowners, renters and businesses will be sent to the agency's regional office in Chicago, then to its national headquarters and finally to President George W. Bush.

Craine said the president is expected to make a decision within a few days on whether to issue a disaster declaration to provide individual assistance.

Once the federal disaster declaration is made, individual homeowners could receive up to $28,200 in aid.

The teams went out into Crawford, Vernon, Richland, La Crosse and Sauk counties.

Gov. Jim Doyle also declared a state of emergency Friday in seven additional counties due to the flooding. They are Dane, Grant, Green, Jefferson, Kenosha, Racine and Rock.

FEMA Administrator R. David Paulison has said he expects several of the state's counties to receive a federal disaster declaration.

FEMA was scheduled to begin damage assessments on Monday, but because of the alarming level of flooding, Doyle sent an urgent dispatch to Bush saying that help is needed now.

"I make a recommendation to the president whether we should get a declaration or not. (With) the damage that I've already seen, I'm sure there will be several counties that will get a declaration," Paulison said.

Before leaving by helicopter, Paulison told reporters Friday that the Bush administration doesn't want another botched recovery effort like the situation in New Orleans. He said there would be quick, decisive action to help people.

Wisconsin Emergency Management has said 12 counties have reported $48 million in flood damage from this week's rains.

Wisconsin Emergency Management said it estimates that so far individuals have to pay $16 million in damage, with damage to public infrastructure and other costs totaling around $32 million. Department Administrator Johnnie Smith said 44 homes have been destroyed, 290 have major damage and more than 1,100 homes have minor damage.

Wisconsin Emergency Management spokeswoman Lori Getter said only about 5 or 10 percent of flood victims had flood insurance.

La Crosse, Madison and the Janesville area have all had their wettest months on record this month. Some spots have had nearly 17 inches of rain in August.

UW Official: Heavy Rainfall Is Part Of Unusual Weather Pattern

The series of storms that has pummeled the Upper Midwest is part of a very unusual weather pattern, according to a University of Wisconsin official.

Jonathan Martin, chairman of the Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences Department at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, said such phenomena only come around once every 100 or 200 years.

Energized by warm air and fueled by moisture from the Gulf of Mexico, the storms start in Nebraska and Iowa in the afternoon, roll through southern Minnesota and then into Wisconsin and Illinois. They've been running on schedule for six days.

Getting Sandbag, Water Quality Info

For city of Madison residents needing sand and sandbags, authorities said that they will be available after 10 p.m. Wednesday at:

Hoboken Lift Station at 1800 Waunona Way
Spring Harbor Park at 5218 Lake Mendota Drive.
Warner Park Beach at 1201 Woodward Drive
Tenney Park Beach at 1330 Sherman Ave.

People can also contact the city of Madison Engineering Division at 608-266-4430 during regular business hours or 608-266-4665 after hours.

Officials with the Madison-Dane County Public Health Department said that residents that have private water wells that are near flooding should probably get it tested. Health official Dr. Thomas Schlenker said that flooding often contaminates wells.

He said that residents can boil the water at a hard boil for 1 minute to ensure the water is drinkable. The health department lab is also available to test the safety of the drinking water. For more information about testing, visit the department's Web site or call 608- 243-0357.

Stay tuned to WISC-TV and Channel 3000 for continuing coverage.