Flood watchers get birdseye view of Minnesota River flooding
But in this southern
On a bright, sunny Thursday, they came by the dozens to check out the swollen current as it slowly rises in yet another season of flooding.
They compared the flow to historic flood years. They commented on the snowmelt and the rate of the river's rise. They speculated about the fate of low-lying homes on
And they shouted with delight at the unexpected.
"I think that's a beaver!" said
Even as weather forecasters issue comforting updates on the season's gradual, "perfect melt," people in the
Ronald and
"The water is still coming,"
"We're scared of what's coming our way."
"All the rivers are bursting," said
For many area residents, the water level at the bridge -- which was within a foot of the lowermost girder Thursday -- was a reminder to begin plotting their detour routes.
They rattled off the names and numbers of country roads and byways that they take when the
A
"I had a girlfriend in town -- I had to get there," he said.
As he spoke, giant chunks of ice sped under the bridge, sometimes whacking the ironwork with a loud thunk.
"That's gonna leave a mark," Goede said after one loud crash.
"It's still going up, so I think it will be slightly more than a typical spring," he said.
His message to residents: "Just keep an eye on the river."
On the defense
That's exactly what folks in
The work started at
Most volunteers came from the
In
"We're taking every precaution to stay ahead of the rising waters and keep the airport open and operating safely," said airport manager
Airport officials will review the flood forecasts on Friday and decide whether to extend the wall to its full length across the southeast end of runway 14/32. That would shorten the runway by about 1,150 feet. Two shorter runways already have been closed to allow crews stage materials for the wall.
In the west metro, crews spent the last week breaking up ice jams on
But this year, with a foot of ice still covering the lake, the district opened the dam to lower the lake's water level and make room for more water.
"
The district released water before the lake's ice-out last year in anticipation of two record snow falls in April. By doing that, the district avoided flooding on
Staff Writers
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