BENTON COUNTY -- Brian Turnbull has to use an ATV to get around his neighborhood.

It's critical when most of Pederson Road, in Benton County, is still underwater.

"We're doing okay. We've got high enough vehicles to get us out," Turnbull said.

Pederson Road is just one of dozens of Benton County roads submerged in flood water.

"It's quite devastating, you don't know what you're up against until it happens," Sheryl J. Shegrud said, a homeowner on Pederson Road.

As the water receded Monday, crews turned from pursuing disaster relief to fixing the damage left behind.

"Today, the real work starts for us," Steve Sautter said, Benton County Emergency Services Spokesperson.

High, rapid waters broke up roads, cracked them and - in some cases - swept them away altogether, Sautter said.

"The key now is to get public works out there to see how much erosion has been done and damage has been done to those roads," Sautter said.

Emergency services, city and county leaders are now trying to map out the mess. And they're hoping federal emergency funding will pick up a big slice of the tab.

"There's going to have to be a pretty hefty amount of dollars spent to repair those roads," Sautter said.

It could mean as much as $400,000 to qualify.

"I would be surprised if we don't make that," Sautter said.

It's too early to tell what the damage is along Pederson Road. But with boats, tractors and ATVs as the main means of transportation, it may not be good.

"It's been hair-raising at times but you just have to keep your wits about yourself and the family stays together," Turnbull said.

In the meantime, Turnbull and his neighbors aren't waiting for the water to dry out on its own. They've already started digging out the mud, spilling the water from the road into a pike.

And they said, they'll keep working until Benton County crews can assess their road.

"There's a lot of work left to be done and it will probably be going on for the next two, three weeks," Sautter said.

Benton County Emergency Services said there will forms folks can fill out if their property was damaged by the flood. It will help in the process to get federal disaster assistance. But they say it won't guarantee compensation.

That information is available on the Washington Department of Agriculture's website http://agr.wa.gov/

Additional information and resources are available on the Benton County Emergency Services website at www.bces.wa.gov http://www.bces.wa.gov/