FEMA teams to assess damage across Minnesota as major rivers expected to crest over weekend

ST. PAUL, Minn. — A state of emergency is in effect for a part of St. Paul, where the Mississippi River could rise another foot before cresting Saturday.

A number of trails and parks have had to be closed. A fast-rising and fast-moving Mississippi River has taken over the area around Harriet Island, where nearly a dozen summertime events have been canceled.

"It's just crazy to see how much water affects people, and it affects people and things," said Autumn Parent.

The floodwaters brought out onlookers from across the Twin Cities.

"It's just mind-boggling to see the water so high and to see it overtaking these different areas of the park," said Rachel Valenziano.

Valenziano and Erica Christenson, landscape architects working on a project across the street from Harriet Island, said a berm will likely keep their worksite safe, but they know the flooding is far from over.

"It's sort of exciting, sort of sad. It feels like they planned this park well. That's how they designed it but even so, it's still something to see. You don't expect to see this," said Christenson.

The Harriet Island playground is underwater, and the pavilion is also filled with water, forcing organizers to sideline 11 events at the shelter, through July 7.

The National Weather Service predicts the river will reach nearly 21 feet before water levels drop. But that's caused some Harriet Island visitors to praise the city for turning the area around the pavilion into greenspace.

"Putting in things like the wall over here and the levee behind that's kind of built into the landscape, just shows what a city can do in terms of preventing of planning for flooding," said Paula Swingley.

It also gives people a chance to see just how powerful a flood can be.

"Every once in a while you can see stuff floating in there," said Lucas Swingley. "It's really cool to see how fast the water is moving."