River cities on high alert as flood waters continue rising
By Pauleen Le
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BAYPORT, Minnesota (WCCO) — Water levels continue to rise putting river cities along the St. Croix on alert. Bayport city leaders said the last time the city saw significant flooding was in 2019 when the St. Croix crested at 88.5 feet.
Currently, the water levels in Bayport match that of the St. Croix at Stillwater.
As of 11 a.m. Monday, the National Weather service reported the St. Croix reached moderate flood stage at 88 feet, and Bayport city leaders said they’re expecting it will rise another foot and a half to major flood stage in the next couple of days.
Riverside Park has been a common place for people to stop and see the rising waters for themselves.
Currently, all the outfield at the baseball field and the benches are covered in water. Other park benches and grills are also starting to get submerged in water.
Don Coakley has had a front row seat to spring flooding from his home in Bayport for nearly 30 years. He said he’s seen the park flood often of times in the past but said this year might be different.
“Right now, if it gets that high it usually stays that way and then it recedes, but when it starts to cross the street it goes over that and then it will fill where the boats are here and then the water will start to come across the parking lot to towards our place and they’re predicting it’s going to get that bad,” he said.
City leaders said there’s aren’t many businesses right on the water other than marinas that would be affected by the rising water.
They said there will be some homes affected, but some of the newer homes here were also elevated when they were built, which should help.
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