Nearly half of Minnesota under “unprecedented” flooding, and some rivers are at or above record levels

MINNEAPOLIS — Massive flooding is now impacting nearly half of Minnesota. As of Wednesday morning, a few rivers in Minnesota are near, or in a few cases even above, record levels, including the Des Moines River near Avoca and Windom, and the Minnesota River at Henderson and Jordan.

Some of the other latest headlines in the state Wednesday include:

Gov. Tim Walz and other state leaders held a press conference on Monday to discuss the evolving flood response.

“These are unprecedented, not-seen-before type of events that are coming on very quickly,” Walz said.  

While unprecedented, Walz says the state is prepared. It’s why there’s a partial activation at the State Emergency Operation Center, where partner state agencies are working together to coordinate what they call a “One Minnesota Effort.”  

“The resources are being deployed strategically out there,” Walz said. “We’re making sure first and foremost people are safe, protecting property and protecting public infrastructure.”

According to the National Weather Service, several rivers are in major flood stage and many points are approaching or exceeding record flood levels. Meanwhile, some rivers are still rising, like the Mississippi and Minnesota rivers, which may not even crest until later this week.

“That’s assuming no additional rainfall, which unfortunately I cannot promise,” meteorologist Dan Hawblitzel said.

It’s a tough situation to predict.

“Any additional rainfall at this point is just going to add to the floodwaters. The ground is saturated, it had nowhere to go. So, whatever little it may be, it will only make things worse,” Hawblitzel said. 

Video shows home on Rapidan Dam partially collapsing into river

The raging Blue Earth River, which caused an abutment of the 114-year-old Rapidan Dam to partially fail, has now swallowed most of the iconic home that sits on a nearby embankment amid Minnesota’s historic flooding.

Blue Earth County officials say the collapse occurred on Tuesday evening and they continue to monitor for possible impacts downstream. Officials will give an update on the situation Wednesday at 10 a.m.

The dam is located about 14 miles south of Mankato, just north of the County Road 9 Bridge.

The dam remains in “imminent failure condition” on Wednesday. On Tuesday morning, Blue Earth County Public Works Director Ryan Thilges said the breach threat has diminished, though officials are still concerned because the dam was built on sandstone bedrock that can further erode.  

Thilges says the dam itself was not breached. Instead, he described it as a “partial failure of the west abutment.” The structure is intact but water continues to flow around it, eroding the slope and forcing an evacuation of the family home of the owners of the Rapidan Dam Store.

Blue Earth County Sheriff Jeff Wersal said the water level in a “catastrophic event would not be that significant.”

The National Inventory of Dams rated the Rapidan Dam in poor condition as of April 2023, classifying its hazard potential as “significant.”

The Army Corps of Engineers and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission are still assessing the damage.

Waterville remains in state of emergency

Walz activated the Minnesota National Guard over the weekend to help with flooding in Waterville, where the Cannon River runs through the Tetonka and Sakatah lakes which surround the town. By Monday afternoon, there were 44 guard members there to help pump water.

Waterville officials say this is the worst flooding the town has ever seen. Parts of the city are underwater due to 14 to 18 inches of cumulative rainfall. Some areas are worse than others, with flood water knee-deep to hip-deep.

Michael Hildebrant, a lifelong resident of Waterville, hitched an unlikely ride to check on his home Monday — a ride by canoe through flooded streets.

“Everything’s pretty well floating around, my TV’s underwater. The refrigerator got popped up in the air. My bed is under, yeah, it’s been a long time since I’ve seen anything like this,” Hildebrant said.

One thousand volunteers filled and distributed 60,000 sandbags this weekend. It’s still unknown when the flood fight will end as residents prepare for potentially more storms ahead.  

Sens. Klobuchar and Tina Smith and Rep. Angie Craig toured the town on Sunday. So far, there have only been voluntary evacuations, with water, electricity and sewer operations still functioning.

Klobuchar and Smith said flood damages need to exceed about $132,000 locally in the county, or $10.5 million in damages statewide, for the Federal Emergency Management Agency to step in.

“We’ve been from this area our whole lives and this is the worst we’ve seen it,” said resident Lonnie Roemhildt. “And they say it’s only going to get worse. And so, we’re just bracing. And hopefully, it’s not going to get any worse than it is.”

While the impact is far from over, people who live there say they are encouraged by the support of others.

Le Sueur County has set up a fund through Frandsen Bank and Trust. Donations can be made online or by mail.  

Many agencies are turning out to help, including the American Red Cross, which set up a shelter at The Village in Waterville off North 1st Street. The shelter is one of a handful set up across Minnesota with other locations in Jackson, Mandelia, Cook and Duluth. 

There are also several locations in South Dakota, which has also been impacted by devastating floods. 

The Red Cross says shelters are a great and safe place for people affected by the floods to stay and find essential resources including food, water, emotional support and more information on how to begin picking up the pieces.

Anyone in need of help, or would like to help, can call 1-800-RED-CROSS.

Cannon River crests in Northfield at possible record level

Experts believe the Cannon River has finally crested in Northfield, reaching 901.52 feet above sea level on Sunday at about 8 p.m.

If confirmed by the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration, it would break the previous record of 901.5 feet set in 2010. The river level began to decrease early Monday morning.

The community is trying to minimize water damage, with riverside businesses protected by a wall comprised of thousands of sandbags.

Northfield Police Chief Mark Elliot says he expects the river to remain at flood stage through this Friday.

WCCO spoke about the flooding on Monday with Sarah Fortner, Carleton College’s director of sustainability.

“From a climate change perspective, we’re having amplified hydrology in Minnesota, so a lot more flood events than used to happen in the past,” Fortner said. “I think there were five 100-year floods in the last 15 years, and this might be six.”

City leaders urge people not to bike or walk through barricaded areas, and to call 911 for any emergencies.

Floodwaters devastate Jackson

Volunteers in Jackson, about 30 minutes west of Worthington, are working to reinforce dikes and flood mitigation tools along the Des Moines River on Tuesday, as flood waters are expected to rise 2 feet.  

Carver’s levee keeping Minnesota River at bay

Minnesota’s senators also visited nearby Carver in Sunday, where the community is hoping their current flood protection will hold up to the rising Minnesota River. 

A 1960s-era levee is preventing things from going bad to worse, but local leaders say they need repairs to make sure it can still protect the community.

Klobuchar says she will do more at the federal level to prevent damaging floods from happening again.

City leaders say they could make repairs and improve the current levee with federal assistance.

The nearest water measurement spot for the Minnesota River is 18 miles downstream in Jordan. The National Water Prediction Service is forecasting the river to crest on Thursday, just a foot below the record of 35 feet.

Rice County residents race to protect property

Neighbors in other parts of Rice County — including Faribault, Morristown, Warsaw and Dundas — are working to protect their homes and businesses from rising water after 10 inches of rain fell in just 12 days.

County residents can now drop off anything damaged by the rising waters at the county’s solid waste facility.  

In Faribault, Teepee Tonka Park and White Sands Dog Park are closed to both vehicle and pedestrian traffic. The following roads are also closed:

• Western Avenue, between Grant Street to Baker Trail
• Seventh Street, between Western and Park avenues  
• Park Avenue, between 30th Street and 32nd Street Northwest

The city’s compost site is also closed until further notice.  

In Warsaw, the owner of Dock’s Dock Campground says the area went from just a few puddles on the ground on Saturday to completely underwater on Sunday. Residents there filled 3,000 sandbags on Sunday alone.

In Warsaw, the owner of Dock’s Dock Campground says the area went from just a few puddles on the ground on Saturday to completely underwater on Sunday. Residents there filled 3,000 sandbags on Sunday alone.    

The Dundas Dukes baseball team posted photos to X/Twitter on Saturday showing their work in sandbagging their field. By Sunday, however, it was all underwater.  

Sewers overflow in Madelia

Police in the southern Minnesota town of Madelia, located southwest of Mankato, say flooding from the Watonwan River has forced city crews to allow sewage to flow through some streets to avoid a widespread sewer backup. A Red Cross emergency shelter has been set up at Madelia High School.

Other highway closures in southern Minnesota

The Minnesota Department of Transportation says Highway 93 between Highway 169 and Le Sueur is closed due to flooding, as well as the northbound lanes of Highway 169 north of St. Peter.

In Jackson, just north of the Iowa border in south-central Minnesota, Highway 71 remains closed, with traffic detoured to Interstate 90, Highway 86 and County Road 34.

Flooding has closed both east and westbound routes of Highway 14 due to flooding.

Owatonna has seen more than 4 inches of rain in the past several days, causing flooding of local parks and rivers.

Henderson residents enduring extreme detours

In Henderson, Highway 19 West is the only way to get in or out of the town due to flooding and existing construction on roads to combat frequent flooding in the area. The Minnesota River is expected to reach major flood state in town on Wednesday, just short of the record crest.

Flooding in St. Louis County

The National Weather Service in Duluth issued a flood warning for the St. Louis River at Scanlon, which will impact northeastern Carlton County and southern St. Louis County. The warning expires on Monday at 4 p.m.

The river was 10 feet high on Saturday morning, the weather service said. At 10.5 feet, minor flooding occurs in areas near the river, and at 13 feet, water starts encroaching on nearby buildings. The river was expected to rise above the flood stage on Saturday evening and crest at 10.7 feet just after midnight. 

More than 1,000 damage reports have been filed so far in the county for both public and private properties in the aftermath of the storm on June 18. More than 40 roads are still closed in the region.

Officials are urging caution near riverbanks, and say residents should expect high and swift water on the river as it flows through Jay Cooke State Park.

Superior National Forest issues emergency closure

On Monday, the Superior National Forest issued an emergency forest closure effective immediately due to storm damage.

All roads, trails, canoe routes, recreation sites and wilderness entry points are shut down until further notice.

“Storm damage is extensive across the forest and assessments are ongoing across all 3 million acres,” said forest supervisor Tom Hall. “The safety of our visitors, residents and staff is our priority while we work to further identify damaged areas, clear affected areas, and fix the infrastructure that is damaged.”

J. Lambert with the National Forest Service snapped a photo of a sinkhole in the Gunflint Ranger District on Monday that looks big enough to cause damage to most vehicles.

The forest’s closure is in effect until June 24, 2026, or until terminated — whichever occurs first.

Visitors are encouraged to use extreme caution in the BWCAW and across the Superior National Forest.

Road closed in Burnsville due to Minnesota River flooding

Officials in Burnsville issued an update Monday afternoon that Black Dog Road is closed from Interstate 35W to the Eagan board due to flooding from the Minnesota River. 

Mississippi River in St. Paul

In the metro, the Mississippi River has yet to peak, but it’s expected to enter major flood stage and crest on Thursday or Friday. National Guard members are now pumping water on St. Paul’s Harriet Island.

Fort Snelling State Park

Fort Snelling State Park is closed until flood waters recede and crews can address related clean-up and repairs. The rising water from the Minnesota and Mississippi rivers is expected to flood the park’s main road. 

Crow River flooding in Delano

The Crow River in Delano passed into the early flood stage on Saturday morning. Earlier this week, residents in town installed metal flood walls, an alternative to sandbagging. It’s the third time since 2015 that residents have put up the walls. 

The river was expected to crest on Sunday evening. In December 2023, the river set the record low at just 4 feet, but it’s now back up near 20 feet. 

State of emergency declared in Mower County

Mower County, in southwestern Minnesota, declared a state of emergency on Saturday afternoon due to flooding.

A no-travel advisory is also in effect due to flooding on several roadways. The Mower County Sheriff’s Office says residents should not drive through or around any barricade.

Interstate 90 flooded in Austin

Portions of Interstate 90 east of Austin are flooded, and officials urge caution to residents while driving. MnDOT also says there are potential mudslides on Highway 61 from mile marker 20 south towards Interstate 90.

St. Paul declares emergency

On Wednesday afternoon, the City of St. Paul declared an emergency as flooding is expected to worsen in the coming days, with the Mississippi River likely to crest this weekend.

Stillwater postpones Independence Day events

Due to flooding in Lowell Park, the City of Stillwater made the decision on Wednesday to postpone its 4th of July fireworks and festivities. A new date has not been set yet.