Monday Morning Flood Update Roundup
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- A number of cities in Minnesota are updating the status of their flooding situations Monday morning.
Here are some of the latest reports we've received.
ST. PAUL
In St. Paul, Harriet Island has closed as the Mississippi River waters continue to rise, and quickly. The levels rose one foot in the last 24 hours, and five feet in the last three days, according to the city's emergency management director.
The Mississippi is expected to crest at about 19 feet. It's the seventh-highest level recorded for the river in this spot.
Anything above 17 feet is considered major flood stage. At 19 feet, the river will be flowing as fast as summertime flows at Niagara Falls, with 100,000 cubic feet of water moving per second, according to the National Weather Service.
Rich Larkin, who is directing emergency management for the city, says another crest is expected to follow sometime next week. It will likely be higher than this week's crest.
Authorities do not anticipate having to evacuate anyone, but the roads along the river -- like Shepard and Warner Roads -- will likely remain closed for a few more weeks.
DELANO / WRIGHT COUNTY
The Crow River levels are picking up a bit, though conditions on Monday were steady from the day before.
Rising flood waters in Delano became a tourist attraction Sunday afternoon as people from all over came to see the rushing Crow River.
The river was just a few inches shy of last year's historic crest. At 19.97 feet Sunday evening, the river reached the fourth highest mark in its history.
There remain a number of road closures in the county. A portion of County Road 36 in the Northeast part of the county, as well as County Roads 17, 21 and 35, according to the city's website.
WATERTOWN / CARVER COUNTY
Conditions are looking better in Watertown, where the waters reached high enough to close a pedestrian bridge on the Luce Line Trail.
Authorities there said the water was on the way down for the time being, though the Minnesota River is creeping up along the southern end.
STILLWATER / WASHINGTON COUNTY
A temporary levee in downtown Stillwater was completed this weekend. Authorities there believe the St. Croix River will crest on Tuesday, below flood stage.
The county put out a press release informing that the Stillwater Lift Bridge would close if the river levels reached 686.2 feet.
Volunteers completed a temporary levee to protect the downtown area. Washington County has an emergency operations center set up at a fire station in town.
BELLE PLAINE / SCOTT COUNTY
The Minnesota River near Belle Plaine is in moderate flood stage and not expected to reach Major Flood Stage.
Crews temporarily shut down Highway 25 in Belle Plaine Monday to restripe it. That should create a better detour while parts of Highways 41 and 101 are flooded out.
