JORDAN, Minn. — The Minnesota River is swollen with rain, overflowing its banks and cutting off drivers on multiple roadways in Carver County Thursday morning.
As a long-time Carver resident and daily dog-walker, Gene Rowland knows how dramatically the Minnesota River has changed in a very short period of time.
“Oh, last fall, the river was so dry you could almost walk across it,” Rowland said. “It changes in a hurry, when nature decides to unleash something.”
As the river continues to rise and before it crests, Carver city crews are working to extend their levee across the Main Street bridge. The last time they did so was 2014, when water fully covered the bridge but did not reach downtown.
“We're erring on the side of caution,” said Carver Mayor Courtney Johnson.
Johnson said Carver is used to dealing with minor or moderate flooding and if they did nothing — their downtown and surrounded homes would be under water.
“We are absolutely anticipating, when the river crests, having water on that bridge. So that it doesn't spill out any further than that, we're putting up the temporary levee,” she said.
Road closures throughout the region are already causing travel issues for local residents and people passing through.
Highway 41 closed at 9 a.m. Thursday between East 1st Street and Chestnut Boulevard through Chaska and Shakopee. The Minnesota Department of Transportation says on its website that the road will be closed until July 11, or until the water recedes and crews can repair flooding-related damage.
Further south in Jordan, Highway 11 is closed near the river between Broadway and Jorgensen Streets as of Thursday morning. This is a problem for commuters since Highway 169 — usually the main route out of Jordan — was reduced to one lane last month south of Chaska, leaving drivers with no options to head north.
As a short-term solution, Carver city officials will closed Main Street Bridge starting Thursday morning to build a temporary levee along Spring Creek.
Highway 19 is closed in both directions near Henderson due to significant flooding, as is Highway 93 between Henderson and Le Sueur.
Farther north near New Germany, Highway 30 is closed from Yale Avenue to the county line due to flood impacts.
Detour signs should be posted near the closures.
The flooding also attracting some tourists like the Droneck family from Chanhassen.
“Well we came to see the River,” said mother Nicole Droneck.
“It was like kind of on the edge of the road, so sometimes when driving you kind of run over it. Then it was scary for me, all those swirls on the side,” said 8-year-old Ella Droneck.
For now, everyone's hoping in the coming days it doesn't rain too much.
“I like the rain but you've got to have it in moderation,” Rowland said.
And that everyone stays safe.
“I just hope everybody will be OK about it,” Ella said.
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