Flooding

This study examine the effects of a federal flood-control project on the drainage of wetlands in the Hawk Creek watershed, a major tributary of the Minnesota River. The report describes the study methodology, which involved analysis of aerial photographs to determine the effects of channeling (a method of flood control) on the wetlands. The author concludes that over 50 percent of wetlands in channeled areas were lost, while the rate was only 13 percent in unchanneled areas, clearly showing the role of traditional flood control in wetland loss.

This publication presents photographs of major flooding that took place in the Minnesota River Valley during the spring of 1965. Locations depicted include the river towns of New Ulm, St. Peter, Le Sueur, Henderson, Shakopee, and Belle Plaine, but the majority of the photos are of Mankato.

Focusing on the Yellow Bank and Lac Qui Parle subbasins, this report was one component of the Upper Minnesota River Subbasins Study, an effort designed to assist in solving flooding problems from a basin-wide perspective. The report documents prior relevant studies and existing water projects, and describes the study region (e.g., geology, stream system, land use, biological and human resources, and water quality). The flood-control plan predicts future conditions if nothing is done, present problems associated with flooding and erosion, and identifies the alternatives considered.