Our next installment takes us to my hometown of Jackson, MN, located on the West Branch Des Moines River. Like Spencer, the town of 3,300 inhabitants also experienced its share of little Venice as much of its business district and east side was affected by the flooding. The difference though is much of the residential area is on much higher ground which made the destruction minimal. Nevertheless, when the river runs through the business district and you need to get from the west side over to the east side, it becomes a royal pain in the gluteus maximus.
Jackson is experiencing not only one crest, but multiple ones thanks to broken levies and compromising of dams along the way, especially at Lake Shetek, where the river begins its voyage, located 80 river miles to the north. The first crest happened on Sunday and broke the record set in 1993 at 15.93 feet. The next one is expected to be much worse and could break the mark of 19.1 feet, set in 1969. Currently, predictions are pointing to 16.2 feet. The reason: neighboring Windom, located 20 miles north, broke its own record and is expected to crest at 26 feet, more than four feet above the mark broken in 1969. Currently, residents are fortifying the critical infrastructure but are predicting the worse as far as travel is concerned.
Jackson has three bridges in the city plus one at Interstate 90 to the north. This includes the one at US Hwy. 71, whose facts can be found in the article below:
At the time of the first crest on Sunday, all three crossings were shut down for safety reasons. When the second crest happens (either Wednesday or Thursday), they will need to be shut down again for safety reasons. This means a 20-mile detour to the north of Jackson, crossing the Lilleberg Bridge at County Hwy. 16. Whether the second crest will be the record-breaker remains open.
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If you have some photos of the bridges affected by the Great Flood of 2024, feel free to contact Jason Smith at the Chronicles, using the contact form here. They will then be showcased with some information that will follow on that.
For those who are traveling in the States this summer and happen to be in the central part of the country, please take extra precautionary steps to ensure you are out of harms way. Avoid areas that are underwater or affected by flooding. Check your lodging possibilities and replan if necessary. If you are in the area affected by the floods, it had better be for helping residents (including sandbagging and clean-up) and not for disaster tourism. Put the people first before the phone and no fear mongering in social media. Take extra care of yourself and your loved ones.
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Not just the bridges matter, but your community matters the most. ❤
The Bridgehunter's Chronicles 