Annual Flooding Puts Some Research on Hold At SAFL

From mndaily:

The water in the basement rose daily, and graduate student Antoinette Abeyta continued her research — until the water reached just below the top of her rubber boots.

Abeyta and her fellow St. Anthony Falls Laboratory researchers reluctantly evacuated the basement last week for the annual spring flooding that brings in 2 to 3 feet of Mississippi River water. In a facility built on top of St. Anthony Falls to conduct hydraulic research, the flooding is pretty common. River water flows through a channel under the basement’s concrete floor and surfaces through large holes.

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Tale of a Talon - Mississippi River Story

From FMR:

As we were rounding the ravine heading south towards the oak savanna, either a Cooper’s hawk or sharp-shinned hawk flew over our heads.  After spending some time in the oak savanna, we turned to head back the same way.  Along the path, I spotted some small white feathers, then some larger gray and white feathers.  It seemed likely that there had been a tussle, so I kept looking, and this is what I found:

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Riverlife Photos of River Crest

From Riverlife:

Exploring the river just hours after the first crest of 2011

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St. Anthony Falls Locks & Dams Closed to Recreational Traffic

From the Pioneer Press:

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Paul District, today closed the Upper St. Anthony Falls and Lower St. Anthony Falls locks in downtown Minneapolis, and Lock 1 next to Minnehaha Park in Minneapolis.

The district said they closed the locks because the water is unsafe for recreational boat navigation. Snow melt and rain in the Mississippi basin upstream of Minneapolis contributed to the higher water flow.

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The Upper River Forum with Tim Griffin at Mill City Museum

From Mill City Times:

Creating a dynamic riverfront can transform our city, but is also critical for our region's competitive advantage. 

You're invited to hear Tim Griffin, a Twin Cities expert with national experience in shaping cities through their riverfronts, challenge us to see our Mississippi shaping our region's future. 

We taped this by request of several long time friends of the river who could not attend.

*Please forgive the video quality, we experienced technical difficulties.  That being said, we captured the entire presentation save for a few minutes in the middle while the video camera needed to be restarted.

Part 1
 

Part 2
 

Minneapolis Asks for Help Fighting Asian Carp

From MPR:

Minneapolis city leaders want state and federal authorities to fund efforts to prevent the spread of Asian carp up the Mississippi River.

The fish can harm boaters as they jump out of the water, and deplete the food supply for water fowl and other fish.

 

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Video of Mississippi River at Upper St. Anthony Falls Tuesday at 33K cfs

From @billmcauliffe

A 'flood' of information for U of M students

From KARE 11:

It's the perfect learning tool in their own backyard. "This is a great opportunity for students," says Pat Nunnally from the University of Minnesota.  Nunnally teaches courses on the Mississippi River and urban design.

This Spring's flooding has provided an excellent backdrop for learning. "The U of M is one of the great universities and it's along one of the great rivers in the world," says Nunnally. "We're getting our students involved in real-world research and learning."

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Volunteer for River Flats Garlic Mustard Removal with Friends of the Mississippi River

From FMR:

After a brief introduction and training, volunteers will proceed to the river flats, known for their large sandy beaches and wonderful river-edge view. Working alongside FMR staff, volunteers will remove the large spread of garlic mustard -- an herbaceous exotic plant invading many areas of the River Gorge and out-competing native spring plant species. While extremely invasive, this plant is easy to identify and pull by hand. After just two hours of work, volunteers will see an immediate difference, and will help improve both wildlife habitat and water quality.

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New Flood Forum

From River Talk:

The University of Minnesota's River Life Partnership has put together a multi-platform digital flood forum, where we are gathering information, diverse perspectives, and considerations from across the state and region.

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