Local News

AUSTIN, Minn. (AP) ― The National Weather Service issued flood warnings for Mower County including the city of Austin and other southeastern Minnesota communities as heavy rains Wednesday night and early Thursday raised the specter of the area's second round of flooding in less than a week.

While most of the rain had moved through by sunrise Thursday, Austin Police Lt. Rene Phan said that water was still rising on the Cedar River and Dobbins Creek and was expected to do so until later in the day or early Friday. Part of Interstate 90 through the city had been closed because it was covered by water, with traffic being re-routed onto city streets.

No evacuations had been ordered as of Thursday morning but Phan said home and business owners in potentially affected areas had been warned that it was possible. He said sandbagging was going on across the city.

If the Cedar River and Dobbins Creeks reach their projected levels, "We're definitely going to have some problems," Phan said.

Moderate flooding was forecast on the Cedar River at Austin's wastewater treatment facility. The river was forecast to rise above its flood stage of 15 feet Thursday morning and crest near 19.5 feet just after midnight Friday, the weather service said.

At 18 feet, the weather service said, numerous homes and businesses may be threatened by high water, while serious flooding is likely if the river reaches 20 feet.

A flood warning for urban areas and small streams was issued as far west as Freeborn County in south-central Minnesota, including the city of Albert Lea. An estimated 3 to 5 inches of rain had fallen across the southeast part of the county by early Thursday, mainly east of a line from Mansfield to Albert Lea and Hollandale, and some roads were reported washed out across the southern part of the county.

Flash flooding was reported early Thursday across northern Dodge County along the Middle Fork of the Zumbro River. Parts of County Road 24 were closed, and about half a dozen mobile homes in the town of Hayfield were evacuated. The residents slept at a local church.

Hayfield Mayor Dave Santjer said the floodwaters receded by about 4 a.m. and the evacuees were allowed back home. "It rose fast and it receded just as fast," he said.

Minor flooding was forecast on South Branch of the Root River at Lanesboro, which saw some of the worst flooding in Round One. The river was forecast to briefly rise above its flood stage of 12 feet shortly after midnight Friday.

A flood warning for urban areas and small streams was also issued early Thursday for southwestern Goodhue County. Two to 3 inches of rain had fallen across the southern part of the county by midnight and another inch was possible, the weather service said.

Flood warnings were also out for Fillmore County, including the city of Preston, which also saw flooding earlier in the week; Wabasha County, including the cities of Wabasha and Lake City; and Winona County, including the city of Winona.

Minor flooding was also forecast on the Zumbro River at Zumbro Falls, on the South Fork of the Zumbro in Rochester, and on the North Branch of the Middle Fork of the Zumbro at Pine Island.

The first round of flooding primarily affected two counties east of Mower County in Minnesota, and hit even harder in parts of Wisconsin and Iowa. It caused more than $2 million in damage to infrastructure in Fillmore County, according to a preliminary estimate, Fillmore County Coordinator Karen Brown said. That does not include damage to homes or farmland. At least 100 homes were affected in Fillmore County, she said.

Preliminary flood damage estimates in Houston County are close to $6.8 million for infrastructure and $15 million for crop losses, said Kurt Kuhlers, Houston County's emergency manager.

The Root River crested on Tuesday near the town of Houston and in Preston and Lanesboro on Monday.

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