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Minnesota News
Dan Gunderson

Rainy Lake water levels approach historic highs

Orange cones on flooded road
State Highway 11 reopens near Rainy Lake in Koochiching County after MnDOT crews raised the grade of the roadway. High water in the area is reaching record levels.
Koochiching County Emergency Operations Center

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Volunteers and National Guard soldiers are struggling to keep up with the demand for sandbags as the water rises around Rainy Lake in northern Minnesota.

Koochiching County Sheriff Perryn Hedlund said about 500 homes are threatened as the water approaches historic levels.

"1950, that was the all time high; 2014 was the second highest, so we went past 2014, and we are approaching 1950 levels,” Hedlund told MPR News on Sunday. “If the lake continues to rise at the current rate we'll hit that, you know, within this week."

Hedlund says it's unclear how high the water will go, and rain forecast for the next several days will likely put more homes and businesses in harm's way.

Minnesota Department of Transportation crews raised the grade of State Highway 11 over the weekend. The work allowed the roadway to reopen, providing access once again to resorts in the International Falls area. Authorities urged drivers to use caution and pay attention to signage when traveling through the area.

The county is also urging property owners to secure items being used to weigh down docks. There’s a risk things like water tanks, barrels and totes could float away when water rises, posing serious hazards.