Ice jams in the Mississippi River in Fort Ripley prompted the National Weather Service to issue a flood warning late Tuesday, Dec. 11, for Crow Wing and Morrison counties.
The ice forced the river into minor flood stage, measuring at 10.28 feet as of 8:30 p.m. The NWS issued the warning 20 minutes later. Flood stage for that point in the river is 10 feet, when the flooding of low-lying areas next to the river is expected, according to NWS.
At 4:30 p.m. Monday, the river reached 9 feet, considered the "action" stage of flooding. It maintained that depth within a couple inches before beginning a steeper rise about 1:30 p.m. Tuesday.
"Ice jamming will cause erratic river levels until the jam releases," the weather service stated. "River levels may fluctuate between 1 and 2 feet in a short period of time."
The river forecast projects the Mississippi will reach 10.5 feet and possibly stay there for the next week. However, the NWS noted ice jams can make these projections difficult.
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"Due to the unpredictable nature of ice jams the river stages on the Mississippi River near Fort Ripley may rise higher than forecast," the warning stated.
Should the river reach 12.5 feet, it would be in moderate flood stage, when the boat landing and parking lot at the public access in Fort Ripley would be flooded.
