Full written details will be provided shortly by the NWS but it looks like Minnesota River levels at Henderson will begin to rise very quickly in the next few days. Based on this preliminary information area road closures might begin next week so it may be wise to start thinking about alternate routes. Stay tuned!

Forecast Data:
|Date(UTC)| |Stage| |--Flow-|
03/17 18:00 723.9ft 7.73kcfs
03/18 00:00 724.3ft 8.18kcfs
03/18 06:00 724.7ft 8.6kcfs
03/18 12:00 725.3ft 9.26kcfs
03/18 18:00 726.1ft 10.2kcfs
03/19 00:00 727ft 11.4kcfs
03/19 06:00 728ft 13.4kcfs
03/19 12:00 728.7ft 15.2kcfs
03/19 18:00 729.2ft 16.7kcfs
03/20 00:00 729.7ft 18.4kcfs
03/20 06:00 730ft 19.4kcfs
03/20 12:00 730.4ft 20.9kcfs
03/20 18:00 730.7ft 22.1kcfs
03/21 00:00 731.1ft 23.8kcfs
03/21 06:00 731.5ft 25.7kcfs
03/21 12:00 732ft 28.1kcfs
03/21 18:00 732.5ft 30.7kcfs
03/22 00:00 733ft 33.1kcfs
03/22 06:00 733.5ft 35.6kcfs
03/22 12:00 733.9ft 37.8kcfs
03/22 18:00 734.4ft 40.8kcfs
03/23 00:00 734.8ft 43.5kcfs
03/23 06:00 735.2ft 46.4kcfs
03/23 12:00 735.6ft 49.5kcfs
03/23 18:00 736ft 52.6kcfs
03/24 00:00 736.3ft 55.1kcfs
03/24 06:00 736.5ft 56.8kcfs
03/24 12:00 736.7ft 58.6kcfs

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN CHANHASSEN HAS ISSUED A * FLOOD WATCH FOR THE MINNESOTA RIVER AT HENDERSON * FROM MONDAY MORNING UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE. * AT 11:00 AM THURSDAY THE STAGE WAS 723.7 FEET. * MODERATE FLOODING IS POSSIBLE. * FLOOD STAGE IS 732.0 FEET. * FORECAST... FLOOD STAGE MAY BE REACHED BY MONDAY MARCH 21ST.

The most current river reading data shows the smaller rivers feeding into the Minnesota going up in some cases over 4 feet in the past day. It does look like the water is starting to come this way.

http://www2.mvr.usace.army.mil/WaterControl/new/layout.cfm

The above link is for a page on the Corps of Engineers site and for some readings they may be in different datum that those used by the NWS.

Choose St. Paul District/Minnesota River Basin from the pull down menus.

Redwood River at Russell, MN - MNDNR Station No. 27043001
as of 15:00 11.10 + 0.78 0.00
Cottonwood River at Lamberton, MN - MNDNR Station No. 29062002
as of 15:00 9.25 + 2.10 0.00
Cottonwood River near Springfield, MN - MNDNR Station No. 29015001
as of 15:00 20.31 + 4.19 0.00
* Cottonwood River at New Ulm, MN - USGS Station No. 05317000
as of 15:00 6.89 + 0.73
Blue Earth River at Rapidan, MN - USGS Station No. 05320000
as of 15:00 5.53 + 1.21

* Minnesota River at Mankato, MN
as of 15:00 9.61 + 1.52

can you give us the link?

Great. Alternate routes will be a welcome addition to the increased gas prices.

does all of the driving on top of the levvy when the ground is soo saturated effect the integrity of our levvy? just wondering??

Link provided in the above posts with notes on which pull down menus to use.

Close the levee this weekend?

That is an Emergency Management Director and Mayor decision.

Could be Monday morning. I think we'll know more tomorrow. River came up 1. 5 feet in Mankato in last 24 hours.