Erosion continues after rain-swollen Blue Earth River claims home near Rapidan Dam
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The rain-swollen Blue Earth River continued to carve a larger channel around the Rapidan Dam southwest of Mankato on Wednesday, after claiming a home near the dam the previous night.
The house was undercut when river floodwaters — blocked by debris piled against the dam — cut the new path. It teetered on the edge for a day before falling into the water on Tuesday night.
The home had been evacuated before the collapse, and there were no reports of injuries.
In an update Wednesday, county officials said they “have seen dramatic changes overnight and this morning as the channel around the west abutment of the dam has continued to cut wider and deeper.”
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The dam itself remains intact. And the flow of the river — swollen from recent torrential rainfall — has slowed slightly. But authorities said recent erosion has now raised concerns about a county highway bridge just upstream from the dam.
The river “is still flowing as a rate that inhibits emergency mitigation strategies,” the county reported. It’s working with state and federal officials to assess the situation.
There are no large-scale evacuations in place below the dam.
Before the house collapsed Tuesday night, owner Jenny Barnes told KARE 11 that she grew up in the home, and her father and brother still lived there.
The family also owns the adjacent Rapidan Dam Store, which dates back more than a century. Barnes’ father bought it in 1972, and the family has run it ever since.
“That’s our life, as well. That’s our business; that’s our livelihood. It’s everything to us,” Barnes told KARE 11. Of the river, she said, “there’s no stopping it. It’s going to go where it wants to go. It’s going to take what it wants to take.”
An online fundraiser is raising money for the family.
After viewing flood damage in southern Minnesota — including the bypassed dam — by helicopter on Tuesday, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar said the state is likely to be eligible for federal disaster aid.
“I am not an engineer, but looking at that dam and seeing the severe damage there as well as washed-out roads in Minnesota, I believe we could well be into our $10.5 million. That is the level at which federal aid would tick in for public infrastructure,” Klobuchar said.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency is already working in Minnesota, and Walz spoke Wednesday with President Joe Biden about the flooding.
According to a pool report, Biden told Walz that the White House is ready to provide additional support as needed.
Guard help continues in Waterville
Minnesota National Guard soldiers continue to help with the flood fight and recovery efforts in the city of Waterville, between Mankato and Faribault.
They’re watching over several industrial pumps that are moving flood water from low-lying areas, including the town’s storm sewer system.
Specialist Rebecca Sattler of Minneapolis said she’s happy to do what she can to help.
“People have been super supportive, the community’s been supportive, everybody’s been working together super efficiently,” Sattler said. “I’m super honored to be part of it.”
State officials said they expect the Guard will be called in to help with flood recovery in other areas of Minnesota as well.
In many areas of Waterville, residents are doing their own pumping of flood water into the streets.
Randy Besser had two pumps working Wednesday to keep his basement from flooding. His backyard is entirely flooded.
But he considered himself lucky relative to what many of his neighbors are facing. The flood waters are receding, but Besser said it will be a long time before his town gets back to normal.
“A lot of people got a lot of damage,” he said. “There’ll be a lot of cleanup; it’s going to be tough.”
Road closures due to flooding
Ongoing road closures from flooding continue to cause travel headaches, especially in the Minnesota River valley.
U.S. Highway 169 remains closed between Mankato and St. Peter, as well as between St. Peter and Le Sueur. Traffic is being detoured on county and state highways to the west.
River crossings are closed at St. Peter, Le Sueur, Henderson, Jordan and Chaska.
In southwest Minnesota, a long stretch of State Highway 60 remains closed between Worthington and Windom, and U.S. Highway 71 is closed in Jackson.
In southeast Minnesota, rising waters along the Mississippi River have prompted the Minnesota Department of Transportation to close a stretch of Highway 60 in the city of Wabasha.
And in the Twin Cities, a long stretch of Shepard and Warner roads along the Mississippi River near downtown St. Paul remains closed.
Flooding closes rides at Valley Fair
Three rides at a Twin Cities amusement park have been closed due to flooding on the Minnesota River.
At Valley Fair in Shakopee, the Excalibur and Renegade rollercoasters are closed to riders, as is the park’s whitewater rapids ride Thunder Canyon.
The park also says some parking areas are flooded and is asking visitors to use overflow parking lots, including one at Canterbury Downs.
Valley Fair says the majority of the park is open for business as usual and encourages visitors to check the park’s website for updates.
River crests at Windom
The Des Moines River at Windom appears to have crested.
Recent heavy rain pushed the river to a record level — but it didn’t reach quite as high as initially forecast. As of Wednesday afternoon, the National Weather Service forecast called for the water level to remain fairly steady overnight before starting to slowly drop on Thursday.
Windom City Council member Jenny Quade said that brings a sigh of relief.
“I know it’s not for a lot of homeowners and a lot of people that are affected right now in that area. It's still, you know, horrible for those people to go through that,” she said. “But I’m glad that it’s not going to be more widespread.”
Quade said the higher river level predicted earlier in the week could have brought floodwater into Windom’s downtown area.