Minnesota River in Shakopee starts to recede after cresting Friday

SHAKOPEE, Minn. — In Scott County, the Minnesota River is finally starting to come down. Its crest Friday afternoon in Savage made the top five highest water levels in its history there. But with levels still in major flood stage, the water is still impacting summer fun.

"It took a little longer than expected but it is what it is," Brent Johnson said.

His family spent Sunday at Valleyfair in Shakopee. While the park remains open, the parking lot is still covered in water. They're offering visitors shuttle bus rides to and from other parking areas nearby.

"When you are on the Wild Thing or the higher-up rides you can see how extensive it is and how much flooding did occur," Johnson said.

The Johnsons said while it took a little longer to get in and out of the park, once inside, there were fewer crowds making it a unique experience.

"It was nice though because then we didn't have to stand in line for hours, you could keep going on rides like we didn't have to get off of one of them. We did the Wild Thing a few times in a row then came back a few times later," his daughter said.

Early last week, flooding closed the parking lot and three rides . Since then, park officials say the water has come down a foot or more in the parking lot.

"It's going down a lot. It's going in the right direction," Bonnie Johnson said.

She took a walk with her husband and grandson at a nearby park in Shakopee on Sunday.

"Can't bike on the paths when they're underwater," her husband, Loren, said.

While not quite at the 1965 flood level, the Johnsons say this summer's flooding reminds them of that time, when they were kids.

"It is very similar and it's amazing. I feel for the farmers and all the people that have so much damage and there's so much washing out," Bonnie Johnson said.

Valleyfair's overflow parking lot will be available again starting Monday, though they say it's park at your own risk and should only be utilized by four-wheel drive vehicles with adequate clearance.

Any changes will posted on Vallyfair's website .