Floodwaters that have ravaged much of southern Minnesota have reached the metro, putting parts of Valleyfair in Shakopee underwater and forcing Stillwater to call off July 4th fireworks.
Flooding closes three rides at Valleyfair theme park, forces Stillwater to call off fireworks
Parking at Valleyfair also has been affected by “significant flooding,” with guests being directed to off-site lots.
The Minnesota Star Tribune
June 26, 2024 at 11:56AM
Some streets and parks in St. Paul are closed as the Minnesota and Mississippi rivers continue to rise and are not expected to crest until the weekend.
Late Tuesday, a house teetering on the edge of the swollen Blue Earth River near the Rapidan Dam fell into the river, the Blue Earth County Sheriff’s Office said.
Authorities said they continue to monitor impacts downstream.
On Tuesday, Gov. Tim Walz and Sen. Amy Klobuchar toured hard-hit areas of the state, including Waterville, where the National Guard has been deployed to help residents recover as the southern Minnesota town remained inundated with water.
Stillwater, often seen as one of the prime spots to view July 4th fireworks, has called off its pyrotechnics. The St. Croix River continues to rise and will make Lowell Park unusable. With the Minnesota Department of Transportation’s Lift Bridge already closed, people would have to sit in parking lots and there would be nowhere for thousands of visitors to park, said Mayor Ted Kozlowski.
“Super sad, but I think it’s the right call,” the mayor said in a Facebook post. “We will definitely make up for it and have a wonderful fireworks display this summer when we can all enjoy it to its fullest.”
Back in Shakopee, the amusement park has shut down three rides, and starting Wednesday is directing visitors to use remote parking lots because of “significant flooding” on the Minnesota River.
Closed until further notice are the Renegade and Excalibur roller coasters and Thunder Canyon, a white-water rafting ride.
“We do not yet know how long it will take for the river to recede to normal levels as that depends on the weather,” park officials said in a statement.
The Minnesota River is not expected to crest until Saturday in the area and remain at major flood stage at least through July 2, the National Weather Service said.
The remainder of the park’s other 75 rides are open, park officials said.
Most guests will be directed to park at off-site lots until waters recede, including the nearby Canterbury Park overflow lot and Minnesota Valley Transit Authority’s Southbridge Crossings and Eagle Creek park-and-ride stations. Parking will be free at the off-site lots and MVTA wil shuttle guests to and from the park.
Valleyfair’s overflow parking lot will remain open, but only four-wheel-drive vehicles with “adequate clearance” will be allowed to use it.
In St. Paul, city officials have already closed a 3-mile segment of Warner and Shepard roads as well as parts of 2nd and Sibley and Jackson streets downtown. The city is bracing for a crest of 21 feet Saturday morning. That is 4 feet above major flood stage and would mark the seventh-highest crest on record.
Republicans across the country benefited from favorable tailwinds as President-elect Donald Trump resoundingly defeated Democrat Kamala Harris. But that wasn’t the whole story in Minnesota.
