Spring Flooding

The road to Picnic Island at Fort Snelling State Park has been closed
since the Minnesota River flowed over it last week.

Here's how it looked on March 28:

March 29:

By April 1 it was a torrent.
A friend walked through it, and it went over the tops of her Sorels.

By April 4 it was receding a bit:

By April 5 it was possible to walk in again without getting wet,
though the road was still closed to cars.

Shortly before I took this photo (around 2 pm) the gate was opened to let a Hennepin County Sheriff's SUV towing a Water Patrol boat exit from Picnic Island. When I learned later about the disappearance of University of St. Thomas student Daniel Zamlen, who went missing early Sunday morning and is presumed to have fallen into the river near St. Clair Avenue, I guessed that might be why they were there. He has still not been found as of today, and the searching and the praying continues.

I suspect the road to Picnic Island may be opened today or tomorrow. The walking trail to Pike Island has also been closed due to flooding.

I saw about 10-12 deer in the park yesterday afternoon, most of whom were on the ground, resting.