Flood drawing near; Red Wing residents begin sandbagging

The Red Wing area could officially have a flood as of Saturday. The Mississippi River is expected to reach flood stage -- 14 feet -- by Saturday afternoon.

Levee Road as well as Colvill, Bay Point and Levee parks would be affected.

The National Weather Service released a revised flood forecast Tuesday that predicted a crest in Red Wing between 16.5 and 18.5 feet in early April.

Water could rise above 16 feet by March 29, but storms today could change the forecast.

Keep the Y Dry

In preparation for the high water, the Red Wing Family YMCA will sandbag behind the facility Saturday, beginning at 8 a.m.

The effort has been dubbed "Keep the Y Dry." A barricade wall is planned to keep out potential floodwaters.

Community members are welcome to join the effort, which includes the area behind the Y and St. James Hotel. "It will be a great experience of community development," said Josh Thygesen of the Y.

In addition to help with filling and positioning bags, volunteers also are needed to make lunches. To volunteer, call the Y at 651-388-4724.

March for Babies moves to A.P.

Concerned over the potential for flooding along the Mississippi River, the March of Dimes is moving its May 1 fundraising event from Red Wing's Colvill Park to A.P. Anderson Park.

"March for Babies is such a celebration of the fundraising efforts of our volunteers and families, we do not want anything to interfere," state director Cindy Evans said. "We are trying to be proactive now for a safe and fun event and let everyone know March for Babies will go on in a new location."

River levels

Seasonal readings for Mississippi River levels at Red Wing Grain resumed this week. They are updated daily at http://www.republican-eagle.com

In addition, people can find area river level information at www.weather.gov, http://www.noaa.gov and http://water.weather.gov.

RWAA moves; VCB may relocate

Red Wing Depot could be vacated soon, if only temporarily. Red Wing Arts Association is moving to a downtown location in anticipation of spring flooding. Look for a story in Saturday's paper.

The Visitor & Convention Bureau also may relocate temporarily to the St. James Hotel if water rises high enough. The VCB still would be responsible for assisting Amtrak passengers. For information, people can call 651-385-5934.

Casino expects to remain open

Treasure Island Resort & Casino's emergency response team has been meeting regularly for more than two months ever since water levels were predicted to be similar to 2001 levels, officials said.

Water exceeded 18 feet that year, or roughly 4 feet above flood stage.

Public Relations Director Cindy Taube said the team does not anticipate major problems.

"We believe that our guests and team members will be able to safely reach Treasure Island during this time," she said.

Tags: news, minnesota, environment, flood, fccnetwork