PROJECT ALERT NOTICE (MN) Continued Response to Flooding in Minnesota

Date: Mon, 24 Jun 2024 17:20:54 EDT

Summary: Little rain has fallen in last 24 hours but flooding continues in Minnesota.

Currently, all telemetered gages are operational. Some gages have been obstructed by debris catching on bridge piers, but localities have cleared as needed. All Data Section staff, 17 staff total, including field office chiefs are deployed in southern or northern Minnesota. Other USGS activities include extending stage-discharge ratings (4 to date), communicating and coordinating with other agencies via email and NWSChat, and responding to questions from cooperators and the public.

Several telemetered sites with more than 20 years of record have recorded peaks of record in stage and/or discharge. The hydropower dam at Rapidan failed upstream from our streamgage Blue Earth River near Rapidan, MN. The gage structure is secure but power has been lost. A field crew will be deployed tomorrow to address the power issue. Gages above NWS flood stages include 5 above “Action” levels, 4 above "Minor", 8 above "Moderate" and 8 above "Major" flood stages. Additional gages operated by the USGS are forecast to exceed NWS major flood levels.

The forecast is for storms tonight in southeast Minnesota, followed by a few days of little precipitation. Mainstem rivers including the Mississippi River will continue rising well into next week, beyond the NWS river forecast period.