Fridley Eyes Waters' Second Rise

As area waterways begin to rise again with runoff from the spring melt, city officials in Fridley are keeping their eye on the weather and projections for possible flooding.

The National Weather Service (NWS) is forecasting a second crest on the Mississippi River that would bring water levels at its 45th Avenue NE gauge to 14.6 feet—almost four feet higher than the 10.7 feet measured Monday morning. 

Fridley Public Works Director Jim Kosluchar said Friday that a slowly rising river means that residents would have warning time of "days, not hours," should significant flooding arrive.

He said his department is watching the weather and the NWS forecasts carefully, wary of water-level increases that a week of high temperatures and rain could bring.

Earlier predictions indicated a small likelihood for record-breaking water levels, but that hasn't come to pass yet—at least not with the first crest in late March.

The City of Fridley has a by providing empty sandbags and at six locations. Find more information about that program and other flood-related resources at the city website.