Gov. Mark Dayton declared a state of emergency Thursday in dozens of counties swamped by torrential rains, flash flooding and high winds.
"These severe summer storms, which began on June 9, 2018, have caused significant flooding and damage to public infrastructure and property in 36 Minnesota counties and one Tribal Nation," the governor's office said.
Included in the order are: Aitkin, Becker, Beltrami, Blue Earth, Brown, Carlton, Cass, Clearwater, Cottonwood, Faribault, Fillmore, Freeborn, Jackson, Kittson, Lake, Lyon, Mahnomen, Martin, Mille Lacs, Mower, Murray, Nicollet, Nobles, Pine, Pipestone, Polk, Red Lake, Redwood, Renville, Rock, Sibley, Stearns, Stevens, St. Louis, Waseca and Watonwan counties, as well as the Red Lake Nation.
On Thursday, water levels along the Cottonwood River in southwestern Minnesota started to recede after hitting a record 19.85 feet in Lamberton, but residents in cities downstream such as New Ulm and Mankato braced for rising waters.
The New Ulm Police Department closed Cottonwood Street as water from the Cottonwood River swelled. The river is expected to hit major flood stage at 18 feet by Friday, according to the National Weather Service.
All that water will make its way into the Minnesota River and will pose a threat to Mankato by Monday, Henderson by Tuesday and Jordan by Wednesday, said weather service meteorologist Michelle Margraf.
"Where the heaviest rain fell, it's going to take a long time to drain," she said. "It's going to be a several-day process as water heads downstream before things start to recover."
Big storms this week dumped 8 to 10 inches of rain in Murray, Brown, Redwood and Cottonwood counties, pushing rivers and streams out of their banks and to "some of the highest levels we've seen," she said. Residents can check river levels and forecasts on the National Weather Services' web page.
