22.91 feet is third highest crest at McGregor
The Mississippi River crested at 22.91 feet at McGregor Friday morning, April 28—the third highest crest ever at the location. In Marquette, flood water stretched all the way to the Driftless Area Wetlands Centre. (Photo by Will Koether)
In McGregor, flooding was contained to the riverfront, although buildings on Main Street experienced water in their basements. (Photo by Will Koether)
Even at nearly 23 feet, the Mississippi crested at roughly a foot lower than the National Weather Service originally predicted. Pictured is the Marquette riverfront. (Photo by Will Koether)
This image captures just how far flood water extended in Marquette. (Photo by Will Koether)
Flooding merged the two wetlands near the Driftless Area Wetlands Centre into one. (Photo by Will Koether)
At the time of the crest, the river had completely taken over Indian Isle.
By Audrey Posten, Times-Register
The Mississippi River crested at 22.91 feet at McGregor Friday morning, April 28. That is the third highest crest ever at the location, trailing only 23.75 feet set in 2001 and the record 25.38 feet in 1965.
The crest was roughly a foot lower than the National Weather Service projected earlier in the week, when it expected flood waters to reach at least 24 feet.
“We were prepared for anything,” said Marquette Mayor Steve Weipert. “After all the prep, the hard work was over, but we still had to keep the pumps full and walk the dikes.”
Road conditions were also monitored. Early last week, the road at the intersection of Highway 76 and Anti-Monopoly Street, at Casino Queen Marquette, was built up in anticipation of rising water. The city authorized the closure of Pleasant Ridge Road in Marquette corporate limits to protect the flood prone one-lane road near the city shop/Mar-Mac Police Station. Access to Marquette from Highway 76 was also cut off when the road was closed near Effigy Mounds National Monument. All roads have now re-opened as water receded.
City officials from both Marquette and McGregor remained in communication with Canadian Pacific Railway as workers continued to raise and maintain the tracks to stay in service.
“The railroads built a lot of dikes, which helped us,” Weipert said. “It took a ton of time and manpower to accomplish that.”
According to Weipert, only one Marquette family left their home due to the flooding, while others moved valuables and appliances to higher ground. In McGregor, any South McGregor residents were asked to leave their homes due to the expansion of the flood wall across B Street.
Flooding impacted local businesses too. Casino Queen Marquette closed early last week, but announced it planned to re-open Tuesday, May 2. Sump pumps were working hard to relieve basements in buildings along McGregor’s Main Street of water.
Some businesses made the best of the situation. Paper Moon Bookstore, for example, advertised that anyone who spent $50 or more could tour the high water in the 1860s dirt floor basement. Staff said the promotion had been successful, with as many as 15 people taking advantage in one day.
Nauti Marina and Big Buoy’s Tiki Bar—which was engulfed by flood water—remained hopeful that the river would recede quickly so season-opening operations could commence.
As of Tuesday morning, May 2, the Mississippi had already dipped below major flood stage, to 21.1 feet. The National Weather Service graph showed the river dropping steadily over the next week, to 18 feet by Monday, May 8.
“We’ll continue to monitor it as it goes down. Then it’s a backwards procedure,” Weipert said of clean-up efforts.
In an April 25 release, the city of McGregor said officials met with Main Street contractors to determine the best course of action moving forward while McGregor experiences flooding.
“Work on the Main Street project has been halted for now. Contractors will monitor the site to determine when the site is safe to resume work as flood waters and groundwater begins to recede. As more information becomes available, it will be provided,” the city said.
Both cities praised the public works departments—as well as McGregor Hook and Ladder firefighters and other volunteers—for their preparation and continued monitoring of flood protection efforts.
“They knew what they had to do and they did their job,” Weipert said. “I also want to thank the citizens. We have great residents.”
