(Photo by Bob Madsen) Destructive storms and floods have caused damage throughout Iowa. A June 11 tornado south of Spencer destroyed multiple farm buildings.

State and federal agencies have issued statements ranging from catfish to con men in the aftermath of floods and tornados in Iowa.

Last week, the Iowa delegation in Washington, D.C., sent a letter asking Attorney General Michael Mukasey to give priority consideration to applications for Byrne/JAG and COPS grants for state and local law enforcement agencies hit by the floods.

Area law enforcement agencies use Byrne/JAG money to help fund overtime costs for the Iowa Great Lakes Drug Task Force.

"This is a preliminary step to make sure that Iowa law enforcement impacted by the floods isn't disadvantaged in the application process," U.S. Sen. Charles Grassley said in a statement.

The senator said Byrne and COPS grants are a vital lifeline for law enforcement in extreme times. He told Mukasey Iowa needs special consideration of its applications because of the extent of the damage.

"Our first responders and law enforcement personnel have implemented smart, forceful and strategic methods to deal with this historic disaster in our state," U.S. Sen. Tom Harkin said. "I urge the Administration to act now so that Iowa's law enforcement have the resources they need to keep our state safe during this crisis."

U.S. Rep. Steve King said Iowa's law enforcement personnel never hesitated to respond above and beyond their duty.

"Iowans' respect for the Rule of Law has never wavered through these times," he said. "Our state and local law enforcement should have the full support of the federal government. I support Byrne/JAG and COPS grants and they are an excellent way for the federal government to respond to these unprecedented floods."

Congressmen Leonard Boswell, Bruce Braley and Dave Loebsack of Iowa also called on the U.S. Department of Justice to make Iowa a priority in grant applications.

Elsewhere, the Iowa Department of Natural Resources has been trying to address a range of issues associated with the flooding. Recent statements have ranged from boater advisories to water contamination measures -- and a fish recovery effort.

In a statement Monday, more than 90 catfish, including many trophy-sized flathead catfish, were rescued from a tail-water area below the Saylorville spillway on Sunday, according to the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. As the water receded, the fish were trapped in a pool.

"There's no doubt we would have eventually lost all of these fish if we had not moved them," said DNR Conservation Officer Brandon Bergquist.

The fish averaged between 30 and 40 pounds with some estimated at tipping the scales at close to 60 pounds, according to Bergquist.

The DNR was advised of the trapped fish by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The agency was inspecting under the spillway early Sunday morning when they came upon the pool.

Some less desirable species including carp, buffalo and fresh water drum, were left in the pool on Sunday and most of those fish were dead by Monday afternoon.

It took four DNR law enforcement personnel between five and six hours to move the catfish to the safety of the Des Moines River.

Meanwhile state and federal officials are warning flood and tornado victims about scams operated by fraudulent contractors, according to the Associated Press.

Attorney General Tom Miller said that flood- and storm-damaged areas can be "a bit of a magnet" for fraud because so much repair and construction must be done and there's generally not enough local contractors to do it.

"People are desperate to get things fixed and get back in their house and get their life in order, so fraud artists do come to these kinds of situations because they know people are vulnerable," Miller said during a telephone interview with The Associated Press.

He added: "It's adding insult to injury, the enormous injury of the flood ... for people to have fraud committed against them."

There were only isolated incidents of fraud reported to authorities during the emergency response to the widespread flooding in Iowa, but Miller said "now is where the real opportunity begins for those that would commit fraud -- in the repair and reconstruction of homes."

Miller was joined by local and federal officials at a news conference in Cedar Rapids on Tuesday morning.

Among them was U.S. Attorney Matt Dummermuth, who warned storm and flood victims about sharing personal information.

"Watch out for people who may try to steal your identity by asking for your FEMA registration number or Social Security number," he said in a statement.

On May 25, a powerful tornado wiped out the southern third of Parkersburg, near the Cedar Falls-Waterloo area. Seven people lost their lives as the tornado passed through the region.

A June 11 tornado destroyed the remote 1,800-acre Little Sioux Scout Ranch near Blencoe in western Iowa. Four boys were killed and another 40 were injured in the storm.

Damage is expected to be in the billions from record-setting floods in eastern and central Iowa. A total of 35 levees across the Midwest have overtopped during the flooding.

Associated Press writer Amy Lorentzen contributed to this report.