April 13, 2001 - The Big Sioux (sue) River is expected to crest today (Friday) in Watertown South Dakota ten feet above flood stage. The nearby lake will crest a few hours later about four feet above it's natural banks. The Mayor of Watertown says original projections called for an even higher crest; it seems for now, the city's avoided a crisis. Volunteers are in a holding pattern and operation centers and shelters are closing as the water makes its way through the system. Mainstreet Radio's Cara Hetland reports:
April 13, 2001 - About 40 volunteers from other cities came to fill bags for the city works building in Newport. About 40 homes are potentially in harm's way.
April 13, 2001 - The rising Mississippi River has prompted the Army Corps of Engineers to close the locks from upper St. Anthony Falls in Minneapolis to Alma, Wisconsin. Pleasure crafts and commercial traffic are clearing out of the main channel, and most barges are tied down along the river. Tugboat captain Eric Hudson is still on the water... traveling near La Crosse. He will continuing heading north in his boat the Barbara B. until he gets to the first closed lock. Hudson says he can usually make about seven miles an hour, but the rushing water has slowed him to a crawl:
April 13, 2001 - There was hardly a cloud over Chippewa and Yellow Medicine counties this morning, and the sun glistened off of farmfields turned into bayous by the rising water. But the western sky showed storms over the Dakotas.
April 13, 2001 - Many Granite Falls residents will take time off from the sandbag lines this weekend to celebrate the Easter holiday. Bruce Kenzel is the Pastor of Granite Falls Lutheran Church. He says his congregation will be ready for the break after a long bittersweet week:
April 13, 2001 - The average farmer is 50 years old and is making $12,000 after expenses. Is it logical to pass on the family farm to their children or should they sell?
April 16, 2001 - A bitter cold front pouring out of Canada is bringing more wintery weather to the region. High temperatures today hovered in the 20s and 30s across much of the state. Rich Naistat is a forecaster with the National Weather Service in Chanhassen. He says it IS cold for the season, but we have had even colder readings.
April 16, 2001 - The National Weather Service says it appears the Red River has crested at Wahpeton Breckenridge, Fargo/Moorhead and Grand Forks/East Grand Forks. While the Red crested lower than earlier predicted, the river is expected to stay high for the next several days. After a busy week of building levees and filling sandbags, things were quiet yesterday along the Red River. Many people were able to take a break, but some must remain vigilant until the river recedes. Minnesota Public Radio's Dan Gunderson reports.
April 16, 2001 - Stillwater tourists are watching the water rise and the construction workers to put down sandbags along the Saint Croix River.
April 16, 2001 - The focus of flood fighting moved south today as the Mississippi River crests near Wabasha. The rising water forced officials to close the bridge between Wabasha and Nelson, Wisconsin. River watchers in La Crosse saw the Mississippi rise to 16 feet, with predictions it will rise another foot before it crests. It flooded rail lines, forcing Amtrak to bus Chicago to Seattle passengers around the water. Meanwhile Federal Emergency Management Agency Director Joe Albaugh toured the Devil's Lake area, and the Red River Valley. While communities along the Red are cautiously confident they will hold the waters at bay, they are concerned about the cost of the flood prevention effort. Many hope the federal government will come through with disaster aid, and the FEMA director's visit could play a major part in that.