Officials watching southern Minnesota dam as flood waters flow over and around it

Emergency officials are keeping a close watch on a southern Minnesota river dam that hasn't been able to hold back the rush of water brought on by recent rainfall.

The Rapidan Dam on the Blue Earth River, just southwest of Mankato, is giving officials difficulties in the area, as Blue Earth County Sheriff Jeff Wersal points to several points causing problems.

Wersal says that all of the recent rain and debris plugging the dam has forced water over the top of it and now to the west embankment.

Video shared online showed the water flowing around the dam as the water levels rose.

The water flowing the west has been eroding the soil, taking down power poles, and even wiping out an Xcel Energy substation, resulting in no power for about 600 customers.

He says the dam itself is still intact, and they are not recommending any evacuations at this point.

“The water is going to come through. The flood walls in Mankato were built to handle the amount of water,” Wersal said, adding that while they aren’t evacuating, there may be some “wet basements.”

Sheriff Wersal says their biggest concern is people being too curious and getting too close to the water, as the last thing they need right now is a water rescue situation.

He also said they've been watching the dam closely for the past 12 hours and that it is not breaking apart. Thankfully, with the water finding its way around the dam to the west, the pressure has been alleviated.

Now, Wersal says their main concern is property damage and the debris in the rushing water hitting or damaging bridge pylons downstream.