The Latest: High water in South affecting US rice crops
Edwards tells CNN's "State of the Nation" on Sunday that the disaster has received less attention because it wasn't a hurricane or named storm.
Edwards, a Democrat who took office this year, says he suggested to President Barack Obama and presidential adviser Valerie Jarrett that they delay a trip to Louisiana until the initial disaster response was over and recovery efforts had started.
Like thousands of other south Louisiana residents, he had to deal with the malodorous muck left after torrential downpours swamped drainage systems, including rivers and streams.
The state government says an estimated 60,000 homes have been damaged and 102,000 people have registered for federal help.