Mississippi River now expected to crest 3 feet above major flood stage in St. Paul
ST. PAUL, Minn. -- All this rain since Wednesday night will cause a crest higher than originally predicted on the Mississippi River. The river will now likely rise to almost three feet above major flood stage at 18.5 feet high.
The Army Corps of Engineers told WCCO that water levels have paused barge traffic on the rivers and that locks and dams are currently closed. There's no set date for when they will re-open.
The rapid rise of the river was obvious at Upper Landing Park in downtown St. Paul on Thursday afternoon.
"It's amazing, but sometimes it's scary because it's a lot of water," said Andres Castierrero, who checked out the river, even in a downpour of rain.
The trail in front of the has been closed for several days now, but on Wednesday, you could still see the trail. Just a day later, on Thursday morning, the trail was completely underwater.
"It's scary for the businesses and homes near the river, yeah it's sad," said Mary Beth Tuttle, who was going for a walk near the river on Thursday afternoon. Tuttle is familiar with bad floods growing up in East Grand Forks, when her mom's house flooded in 1997.
She shares her best advice for those close to the river.
"I would be taking assessment and moving valuables to higher ground, especially things that are dear to your heart," said Tuttle.
Moving further south down the Mississippi, to the city of Hastings, now has three more roads closed due to rising waters.
"It did get higher since the last time I came down [to Jaycee Park], and it's been a couple years probably since I've seen it this high," said Matthew Green, who lives in Hastings.
Where Green would normally see boats and barges, he's watching large logs make the journey downstream.
"The cleanup is going to be crazy because there's a lot of debris," said Green.
The closed roads in Hastings right now:
- E 10th street – east of the bridge over the Vermillion River
- 18th Street – east of the main parking for C. P. Adams Park
- Lock and Dam Rd. – by Jaycee Park/Boat launch
- Spiral View Loop Rd.
- E 10th St/County Rd. 54
- 1st Street/Railroad bridge underpass
- E 4th Street in East Hastings
The roads closed in downtown St. Paul right now:
- Shepard Rd. W. at the MN Science Museum
- Jackson St. at Kellogg Blvd E.
- Sibley St. at Kellogg Blvd E.
- Warner Rd. at the Lafayette Bridge
- Childs Rd.
- Pigs Eye Lake Rd.
