Flood Watch: Quiet in Mankato

Michelle Parsneau lives about five blocks from the Minnesota River in downtown Mankato. She'll be giving us occasional updates on what's going on in her community.

The mood in the neighborhood seems good. Everyone is happy about the gorgeous sunshine, while I personally can't help but wonder if it is going to accelerate ice melting, adding to the river. My husband, a professor at Minnesota State, reports that some students who commute from out of town have told him that due to possible flooding, they're not sure if they will be able to make it to class in the days ahead. But, even at that, he says that not too many students have said anything.

At this point, I really think people either don't think the river will get that high, or assume the flood wall will prevent any problems. I know that in the last year there have been a few news items about national evaluations of the wall and maintenance costs, so I think people feel secure that the wall has been properly cared for and that they will be safe.

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