Flood is coming

In my last posting I noted that devastating rainfall had fell in southern Minnesota. A good bit of the area that received this rainfall drains into the Minnesota River which joins the Mississippi just a bit upriver from where I live. About 5 PM I took a walk and found this peaceful river scene. The news is that, however, by Wednesday the river will be nearly as high as during the spring flood.

If I walk a bit up river I walk under the High Bridge. One of the foundation blocks has marks on the side telling the boats how much clearance there is between the river level and the high part of the bridge arch. Today there is slightly more than 55 feet , certainly enough space for anything that comes down the river here. I'll be walking there every day; it's a good way to see the change in the depth of the river.

Very near this area on my side of the river is Geological Survey monitor.

There is a cable that runs from the monitor down into the river.
Watch this space for more news. Meanwhile the Governor and one of our Senators is planning to visit the southern part of the state to begin to determine the need for disaster relief.