STILLWATER, Minn. — Spring is here and some cities are preparing for a flooding mess. Stillwater's Public Works Department laid out its plan to prevent flooding in a special informational meeting Monday night.
Some experts say the water could rise as high as it did in 2001 when the St. Croix River was high enough to close the iconic lift bridge.
Public Works Director Shawn Sanders says residents and visitors can expect some street and parking lot closures as early as this week. The lift bridge will also close as crews start to install Jersey barriers followed by sandbagging efforts and eventually the installation of a temporary dyke.
"It's part of living here," said longtime resident Philip Groth. "They know what to do most of the time when there are floods."
"It's just about planning and preparing ahead of time," said Sanders at Monday's meeting. "We adjust accordingly."
The 2001 flood is the river's second-largest crest on record. The first was back in 1965.
Sanders expects the plan to prevent flooding this year to be in place until at least mid-May, but with more storms in the forecast and so much snow on the ground still, state climatologists are concerned.
"It's late in March to have that much water around," said Assistant State Climatologist Pete Boulay. "The longer that snow stays on the ground, the higher the risk of flooding."
Boulay says there are up to six inches of water on the landscape in some areas across the state. But the state doesn't have a deep frost, meaning some of that water might still soak into the ground.
He also added forecasts like Monday are ideal to help melt the snow at a slower pace.
"This is what we want, absolutely, sunshine, low 40s, below freezing at night," described Boulay. "Perfect recipe for lessening the chances."
The National Weather Service is expected to release its latest flood outlook on Thursday.
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