After flash floods stranded homeowners and closed roads in northern Minnesota last week, state officials have now turned their attention to rising rivers in southern Minnesota this week.
About 40 Minnesota counties have already been hit by flooding, Gov. Tim Walz said during a June 24 press conference with state officials. Resources have been deployed to ensure that people are safe and property and public infrastructure are protected. No serious injuries or deaths have been reported in the flooding, according to Walz.
“This event is still ongoing,” Walz said. “If there are barriers up or traffic control, do not go around those barriers and also recognize that this water is not safe. It’s contaminated, whether it be through sewage or other contaminants, that the health issue is still a real concern.”
Kristi Rollwagen, director of the state’s Homeland Security and Emergency Management, also urged people to stay out of flood water and abide by road restrictions put in place by local authorities.
“The water is moving fast. It is dangerous. We want you to turn around. We don’t want you to drown and we don’t want you to become a part of an unfortunate event,” she said.
Transportation Commissioner Nancy Daubenberger said they’re focused on ensuring public safety on roadways in southern Minnesota and will inspect closed roads to ensure safety before reopening them.
Roads may be closed or restricted without warning and drivers should check 511mn.org for updated road conditions, she said. Drivers should also be aware that county, city and township roads may be closed due to flooding, which won’t be shown on the state’s 511 website. Drivers should be alert for mudslides and use caution if approaching debris on the roads, she said.
She reiterated that it’s illegal to travel on a road that’s been closed due to flooding. Travelers who need to be rescued from a closed road may be assessed with expenses and penalties, she said.
Rivers across southern Minnesota are expected to continue to rise throughout the week as water continues to move downstream and more rain is forecasted.
Ten to 12 inches of rain fell in some parts of southern Minnesota in the past week, resulting in “quite severe” impacts on the rivers, said Dan Hawblitzel, meteorologist in charge at National Weather Service Twin Cities (NWS).
Several rivers in southern Minnesota are in a major flood stage or have broken the record for water level – meaning residents are seeing flooding that has never been seen before, he said.
The Minnesota, Crow, Des Moines, Cannon and Mississippi rivers are among the rivers most impacted by flooding, he said.
In southeastern Minnesota, the Cannon River overflowed in Northfield and Faribault in recent days. In announcing the authorization of the Minnesota National Guard to support flood operations in Waterville on the Cannon River Saturday, the Governor’s Office said the “water has reached uncontrollable levels” on the Cannon River.
On Saturday, Cannon Falls Fire and Rescue and the Cannon Falls Police Department put out the call for volunteers to help sandbag by city hall and the volleyball courts near it. Minnieska Park was entirely under several feet of water as the fence of the swan enclosure could barely be seen above the water.
Highway 20 was closed Saturday due to flooding but was back open as of Monday. County Road 7 by Welch was also closed due to flooding.
CBS reported on Monday that the Cannon River in Northfield might have set a record after reaching 901.52 feet above sea level Sunday, potentially breaking the previous record of 901.50, which was set in 2010.
The Cannon reached 18 feet in Cannon Falls according to a graphic posted by the Cannon Falls Police Department. In Welch, the Cannon River reached 14.30 feet late Saturday according to the National Water Prediction Service. That is compared to just over 9 feet on Friday. The Cannon Valley Trail is completely closed until further notice.
The Mississippi River is predicted to reach 15.9 feet in Red Wing on July 1, slightly below the major flood stage of 16 feet in the city, according to NOAA. Lake City is predicted to be in a minor flood by July 1. But upstream, the Mississippi River in Hastings and St. Paul is expected to reach the major flood stage beginning mid-week this week, according to NOAA.
