Officials: Downtown Afton could be inundated with spring floods

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The National Weather Service’s latest spring flood forecast looks grim, and Washington County officials this week are beginning to prepare for what looks likely to be a soaked spring.

Washington County Emergency Management officials met Tuesday in Cottage Grove with city, county and volunteer organization leaders to begin coordinating efforts to fight predicted floods and ease a possible recovery.

A forecast released Friday by the National Weather Service predicts an 86 percent chance of the Mississippi River exceeding major flood stage at St. Paul, and a 90 percent chance of major flooding at Hastings. The forecast placed the likelihood of major flooding on the St. Croix River at Stillwater at 62 percent.

Major flooding on the Mississippi and St. Croix rivers could have a big impact on some Washington County cities. Patrick Waltezko, of the county’s emergency management office, told officials during the briefing that major flooding would leave portions of downtown Afton inundated, would threaten an unsound levee in Newport and could cut off access to Grey Cloud Island.

On Wednesday, county and city leaders are scheduled to meet with Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton at the County Government Center in Stillwater to discuss preparation for the possible spring floods.

Tags: area news, news, weather, afton