The Mississippi River is now expected to crest at about 20 feet in St. Paul on Sunday or Monday, before it begins receding, according to Tuesday forecasts from the National Weather Service.
A crest had been expected by Thursday, but heavy flows will continue for several more days. The river was at 18.1 feet Tuesday afternoon, with portions of Shepard/Warner Road closed in downtown St. Paul, sections of Harriet Island submerged and portions of Lilydale Park flooding.
Meanwhile, high water from the Mississippi and Minnesota rivers led to the closure of Fort Snelling State Park earlier this week.
The park sits near the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, at the merging point of the two rivers. Melt-off at the park caused water to flow over a park road and into Snelling Lake.
Park access from both the main entrance on Minnesota 5 and Post Road and from Minnehaha Trail is blocked off. Park buildings have closed and visitor center displays relocated. Interpretive events are canceled through mid-April.
“We have to take a look at the condition of roadways, buildings, reallocating our resources to clean up trails, removing silt, removing downed trees or material that’s moving downriver that gets deposited,” said Park Manager Kelli Bruns in a statement.
Park officials have cut electricity in buildings, moved equipment out of the visitor center and visitor contact station, and placed sandbags around the visitor contact station.
“At some extent we let the water do what it does,” said Minnesota DNR Information Officer Harland Hiemstra. “We won’t be able to assess damage until after flood waters recede.”
There is no set date for when the park will reopen. The last time the park closed was 2014, also due to flooding.
“Could be weeks. Could be months,” Hiemstra said. “We just have to see what nature does.”
St. Paul Pool and Yacht Club, in Lilydale on the banks of the Mississippi River, closed as well.
Water has moved into the basement of the three-story building and onto the pool area, according to club officials.
Refrigerated food was moved to Southview Country Club in West St. Paul and a large portion was donated to the Dorothy Day homeless shelter in St. Paul.
“The water is probably up to my waist in the basement,” said general manager Maureen Gruntner. “We have to let the water come in or the building will implode. All that hydrostatic pressure.”
There is no estimate of when the club will reopen, but members have been granted dining privileges at Southview, Mendakota, and Town and Country country clubs.
The National Weather Service expects the Mississippi River to reach a height of 20 feet which would be the eighth highest crest in state history, six feet lower than the 1965 record.
AFTON DECLARES EMERGENCY
Meanwhile, on Monday night, Afton Mayor Bill Palmquist declared a local emergency, which was affirmed by a vote of the council.
The emergency declaration provides city officials with flexibility to move quickly if the St. Croix River floods, said City Administrator Ron Moorse.
But Moorse said the declaration is just a safety measure. The city’s new $3.5 million levee, which was completed last summer, was built to provide protection for a flood up to 95 feet; the current projected crest of the river is 88.5 feet.
Mary Divine contributed to this report.
