Heavy Rainfall - First Half of June 2008

Grand Marais, MN Flooding - June 2008
Cook County News-Herald

Frequent and heavy rainfall during the first half of June 2008 plagued the Midwest with devastating urban flooding, disastrous agricultural impacts, and major impediments for the transportation. Although the most stricken states were Wisconsin, Iowa, Indiana, and Missouri, some Minnesota communities shared in the pain.

The first half of June produced numerous rounds of severe weather and heavy rainfall in Minnesota. Three particularly heavy rainfall events led to notable urban flooding and damage to agriculture and infrastructure on the rural landscape:

June 5 and 6 - roughly five inches of rain fell in a short period of time in Cook County. Urban flooding occurred in downtown Grand Marais. Substantial damage to transportation infrastructure was reported.
June 7 and 8 - two-day rainfall totals topped five inches in portions of Mower, Fillmore, and Houston counties. 10 inches of rain was reported south of Caledonia. Homes and businesses in Preston were inundated by the Root River. Numerous roads were closed.
June 11 and 12 - for the second time in a week, heavy rains fell on portions of southeastern Minnesota. The cumulative impact of the two events led to significant urban flooding in Austin and was responsible for a traffic fatality in rural Freeborn County.

Total precipitation for the first half of June exceeded five inches in portions of northeastern and southeastern Minnesota (see map). Eight or more inches of rain fell in sections of Freeborn, Mower, Fillmore, and Houston counties. Elsewhere across Minnesota, rainfall totals through June 16 topped three inches in most places. The historical average rainfall for this time period is approximately one inch per week. Therefore, early-June rainfall substantially exceeded the historical average in most locales (see map).

River Stage Information from National Weather Service Office - La Crosse, WI

Austin, MN Flooding - June 12, 2008
Star Tribune

The torrential rainfall led to numerous record and near-record river crests on Midwestern rivers following the deluge. Below is a list of the maximum crests, along with historical ranking, for southeastern Minnesota rivers through June 13.

River	Location	Flood Stage (ft)	Crest (ft)	Rank
Turtle Creek	Austin	10.5	13.74	2nd Highest

Dobbins Creek	Austin	11.5	18.95 (prelim)	2nd Highest

Cedar River	Lansing	18.0	20.54 (prelim)	4th Highest
	Austin WWTP	15.0	22.40	3rd Highest
	Austin 3S	11.0	21.40 (prelim)	3rd Highest

South Branch Root River	Preston	937.0	941.67	3rd Highest
	Lanesboro	12.0	14.17 (prelim)	4th Highest

Root River	Pilot Mound	19.0	20.17 (prelim)	3rd Highest
	Houston	15.0	16.08 (prelim)	8th Highest

Regional assessment from the National Weather Service ...