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Facing the runoff dilemma

Water from melting snow, ice spilling onto some roads

Photo by Jenny Kirk One of several roads in the Lyon County area, 330th Street west of Minnesota State Highway 68 just south of Minneota is closed due to flooding.

ARSHALL — As the snow piled up around the Marshall area continues to melt, motorists are seeing the results in the form of barricades on some roads. While a flood warning is in effect for the Redwood River near Marshall, both Marshall city and Lyon County staff said the flooding that’s closing roads in some places is affected by melting snow and blocked flow in culverts and ditches.

“We’re going to have a lot more localized runoff, because we still have three feet of snow in town,” said Marshall Public Works Director Glenn Olson.

On Thursday, the National Weather Service office in Sioux Falls said a flood warning would continue until further notice for the Redwood River near Marshall. The Redwood River is currently experiencing major flooding, and will crest even higher by Monday. Under those conditions, some country roads outside of Marshall will be flooded, the NWS said.

On Thursday afternoon, the Redwood River gauge at Marshall was at 17.02 feet, which is above the river’s major flood stage of 16.5 feet.

Flood stage is at 14 feet, the NWS said. The river could be even higher early next week — the NWS said flood forecasts showed the river cresting at around 18 feet on Monday. If that happens, it will be a new record for Marshall.

“The river is starting to open up,” Olson said. “We’re keeping an eye on that.” However, Olson said so far the city hasn’t seen flooding directly caused by the river.

For now the focus in Marshall has been on clearing blocked ditches, so snowmelt can drain away.

“We’ve had great participation by MnDOT,” Olson said. He said MnDOT crews have worked on the drainage ditches on North U.S. Highway 59, and on South Fourth Street.

Craig Gertsema, maintenance operations superintendent for the Minnesota Department of Transportation, said MnDOT crews were being proactive on dealing with potentially flooded highways in the region. MnDOT monitors roads and bridges, as well as reports of flooding from law enforcement and members of the public, he said.

MnDOT was encouraging motorists to check the 511 travel information website for updates on state highway conditions.

On Thursday, Lyon County Road 7 was closed in Marshall between Westwood Drive and Highway 23, due to rising water levels.

Lyon County Highway Engineer Aaron VanMoer said the county has had to close some roads as water goes over them, but the number and location of flooded areas tended to fluctuate. In many areas, high water levels were due to localized snowmelt, and ice blocking culverts, VanMoer said.

Olson said the weather outlook for next week, which includes warm daytime temperatures and colder nights, is looking more positive for managing the melt.

“That’s really a benefit,” he said. Overnight freezes slow the flow of water and allow drainage ditches a chance to “catch up,” Olson said.

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