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Rapidan Dam had been in poor condition before failure
Blue Earth County owns the Rapidan Dam and it's their job to maintain the integrity of it. WCCO Senior Investigative Reporter Jennifer Mayerle has been digging in to learn more about this dam.
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Blue Earth County owns the Rapidan Dam and it's their job to maintain the integrity of it. WCCO Senior Investigative Reporter Jennifer Mayerle has been digging in to learn more about this dam.
Rising water levels led to the partial failure of the Rapidan Dam in the town of Rapidan on Monday morning. The water is washing away buildings and powerlines next to the dam, leading to power outages and dangerous debris in the water. John Lauritsen shows us how people are now bracing themselves for the worst.
High water in Minnesota is already causing major problems. A big one on Monday: a Minnesota dam has failed. The Rapidan Dam sits in the Blue Earth River near Rapidan Township and Mankato. Our John Lauritsen has been monitoring conditions there all day.
One Waterville, Minnesota, resident said "hundreds of cabins and homes" have been flooded and that his cabin saw about 18 inches of water.
In Warsaw, the owner of Channel Inn put out a call for help on Facebook, and within minutes, community members started showing up to help fill sandbags.
Sunday night, flood warnings are still in place across Minnesota and western Wisconsin. In Rice County, rivers rose fast overnight, flooding into neighborhoods in Morristown, Faribault, Warsaw and other small communities. WCCO's Kirsten Mitchell was there as people raced to save their homes.
With 1,000 volunteers and 60,000 sandbags filled and distributed, city and county officials said they don't know when this flood fight will end.
The flood fight is on across Minnesota and Western Wisconsin. Local leaders say this is the worst flooding the town of Waterville has ever seen. Our Jason Rantala is there and he's seen the damage firsthand.
Neighbors are digging in and pulling together as the water surges down south. Waterville, an hour south of the Twin Cities, is surrounded by two swollen lakes and a pair of waterways that are overflowing with all our rain. Ubah Ali shows us how the community is facing the flood of trouble together.
The declaration enables the county to apply for federal and state money to help with the clean-up.
The Cannon River runs through two big lakes surrounding the town about an hour south of the Twin Cities. With more rain in the forecast, people who live there are bracing for the flooding to get worse before it gets better.
Parts of Minnesota are experiencing major flooding because of the excessive rain pouring into the state. It's causing problems all over. In particular, Waterville is one place really living up to its name. The Cannon River runs through two big lakes surrounding the town about an hour south of the cities. WCCO’s Kirsten Mitchell shows us how neighbors are helping each other as the water keeps rising.
Parts of rural Minnesota have a half-foot more of rain than they did at this point last year.
With up to four inches of rain expected through Saturday, officials said they are on alert for flash flooding along the creek.
More scattered showers are on tap Thursday afternoon and evening, mainly across southern Minnesota.
According to the National Weather Prediction Service, the South Fork Crow River that flows through Delano is expected to hit major flood stage later this week. It's not the first time.
"Our planet is trying to tell us something. But we don't seem to be listening," the U.N.'s secretary-general said after May marked another month of back-to-back global heat records.
A letter from the League of Minnesota Cities states that the City of Fridley was not negligent in regard to the damage to her home and that the city won't be responsible for paying damages.
A sudden surge of water is burying a homeowner in unexpected bills.
A freak flood caused devastating damage to a children's dance studio. The studio serves hundreds of families. As WCCO's Kirsten Mitchell reports from Fridley, now it's racing to rebuild.
Roughly $22 trillion worth of homes are now at risk of damage from flooding, wildfire and other effects linked to climate change.
Scientists have warned for decades that India's Himalayan glacial lakes are disasters waiting to happen. Climate change means they aren't waiting any more.
A Libyan official who visited Derna said "25% of the city has disappeared," and he expects the final toll to be "really, really big."
Minnesota is getting some help from the federal government to recover from flooding.
A major Pfizer pharmaceutical plant was severely damaged after a deadly tornado ripped through North Carolina on Wednesday.
It's super easy to shop online at Warby Parker for custom prescription eyewear or contact lenses.
The report says Minnesota saw a decrease in violent crime by 6.9% overall, and 8.2% in the metro area. It's the second year in a row that crime overall dipped statewide.
The WNBA is back and so is Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark. Find out how to watch Clark face the Phoenix Mercury.
Ellen DeGeneres will end her stand-up comedy career with a tapped comedy special at the Orpheum Theatre in Minneapolis this weekend.
Three motorcyclists were killed in separate crashes on Minnesota roads Thursday in a 10-hour span, including two high-speed fatalities just 30 minutes apart on Interstate 35.
Ellen DeGeneres will end her stand-up comedy career with a tapped comedy special at the Orpheum Theatre in Minneapolis this weekend.
Three motorcyclists were killed in separate crashes on Minnesota roads Thursday in a 10-hour span, including two high-speed fatalities just 30 minutes apart on Interstate 35.
Police say a 15-year-old boy suffered gunshot wounds to his arms and legs after bullets flew into his St. Paul residence late Thursday night.
It wasn't until Thursday morning when David Hollmon, the property manager, realized he hadn't seen one of his tenants since the fire.
This weekend is expected to be one of the biggest music weekends in years for Minneapolis.
A 31-year-old Frazee man faces charges for allegedly shooting a stranger during a fight at a trailer park.
A St. Charles teenager says he's lucky to be alive after a sudden illness required a heart transplant.
A Waite Park man was sentenced Thursday to more than six years for a 2021 St. Cloud bank robbery in which he took multiple hostages.
Texas country music singer Creed Fisher underwent multiple surgeries after his representatives say he was seriously hurt in a motorcycle crash on Saturday night near St. Cloud.
Four people, including two 9-year-old girls, are dead after a semi hit three cars and another semi in a construction zone in northern Minnesota Wednesday afternoon.
A Wisconsin jury has convicted a man in the shootings of three men whose bodies were found outside a quarry.
According to the initial investigation, a minivan had been passing other northbound vehicles in the wrong lane of traffic when it struck a southbound sedan towing a motorcycle trailer.
The August primaries have set the stage for the main November event in both Minnesota and Wisconsin.
Wisconsin voters have decided against two constitutional amendments passed by the Republican-controlled Legislature that would have taken power away from the governor.
Wisconsin voters set the field in a closely watched Senate contest Tuesday, with Republican businessman Eric Hovde easily winning Wisconsin's Republican Senate primary.
Veteran's Farming Initiative is a nonprofit that helps veterans and their families heal and learn through specialized farming programs.
Michael McDowell is training Uncle Sammy's nieces and nephews to keep the eatery open.
There's an important event this weekend trying to address the health care crisis in the Black community.
In just under two months, more than 4,000 volunteers will work to transform a portion of St. Paul's east side, creating a new neighborhood in the process.
Andy Baseman is using his own experience being homeless to make Metro Transit light rail trains safer. He's there to help people who are struggling, not enable them.
Iowa abortion providers are opting to dismiss their lawsuit against the state since the Iowa Supreme Court allowed a strict abortion law to be enforced.
An employee of the Democratic National Committee has filed a complaint seeking to remove the Green Party's presidential candidate from the ballot in Wisconsin.
Minneapolis could see a big tax hike as part of Democratic Mayor Jacob Frey's nearly $1.9 billion budget proposal.
Minnesota's largest city could see a big tax hike if Mayor Jacob Frey’s $1.9 billion budget plan is passed.
Forget Democrats and Republicans. The tiny Minnesota town of Cormorant is letting a member of the "Puppy Party" take charge!
The Lowry Apartments in St. Paul is going into foreclosure, and the residents say they're in shock.
For parents, inflation and rising costs continue to impact purchasing decisions. Minnesotans are doing their best to save money while still letting their kids get some of their wants.
A viral TikTok recipe that includes melting Jolly Ranchers landed a 9-year-old in the hospital with severe burns.
The seasonal display at Michaels would have you thinking it's a crisp fall day in early October, but we haven't even snagged a Pronto Pup at the Minnesota State Fair yet.
Data from GasBuddy shows prices in Minnesota seem to have settled in around $3.30 to $3.37.
The report says Minnesota saw a decrease in violent crime by 6.9% overall, and 8.2% in the metro area. It's the second year in a row that crime overall dipped statewide.
A 31-year-old Frazee man faces charges for allegedly shooting a stranger during a fight at a trailer park.
Police say a 15-year-old boy suffered gunshot wounds to his arms and legs after bullets flew into his St. Paul residence late Thursday night.
Investigators were able to use DNA to identify the mother, who admitted to concealing her pregnancy and the birth from her family.
Authorities were justified in shooting a man during a standoff outside a Target in Woodbury earlier this year, an investigation concluded.
A St. Charles teenager says he's lucky to be alive after a sudden illness required a heart transplant.
Ticks can spread illnesses like Lyme disease — but there's one species that, when it bites you, could cause a potentially life-threatening allergy, and its numbers are growing in the state.
Iowa abortion providers are opting to dismiss their lawsuit against the state since the Iowa Supreme Court allowed a strict abortion law to be enforced.
Officials have been warning of a return to the pre-pandemic trends of pertussis, also known as whooping cough.
A viral TikTok recipe that includes melting Jolly Ranchers landed a 9-year-old in the hospital with severe burns.
This weekend is expected to be one of the biggest music weekends in years for Minneapolis.
Texas country music singer Creed Fisher underwent multiple surgeries after his representatives say he was seriously hurt in a motorcycle crash on Saturday night near St. Cloud.
Gena Rowlands, hailed as one of the greatest actors to ever practice the craft, died at 94 on Wednesday, her representatives confirmed.
Steve Martin's next role will not be the Midwestern politician the internet hoped he'd portray.
Authorities say two suspected extremists believed to be tied to ISIS appeared to be planning an attack on an event in the Vienna area.
Napheesa Collier had 17 points and 12 rebounds for her 13th double-double of the season, Courtney Williams added 14 points and five assists, and the Minnesota Lynx beat the Washington Mystics 79-68.
Minnesota Twins center fielder Byron Buxton has been placed on the 10-day injured list after coming out of a game earlier this week because of inflammation in his right hip.
The world's number one amateur golfer brought large crowds to Chaska's Hazeltine National on Thursday at the U.S. Amateur Golf Championship.
The Paralympics begin in roughly two weeks, and Minnesota athletes once again are making a name for themselves on Team USA.
If the Minnesota Timberwolves' run to the Western Conference Finals didn't convince you they're among the NBA's premier teams, maybe their schedule for the upcoming season will. It features an impressive 25 nationally televised games.
The August primaries have set the stage for the main November event in both Minnesota and Wisconsin.
The August primaries are in the books in both Minnesota and Wisconsin, setting the table for the main November elections in both states. In Talking Points, Esme Murphy spoke with Republican analyst and former state Senator Michelle Benson and Democratic analyst Abou Amara about the win in the U.S. Republican Senate primary of Royce White and the down ballot implications.
The August primaries are in the books in both Minnesota and Wisconsin, setting the table for the main November elections in both states. In Talking Points, Esme Murphy spoke with Republican analyst and former state Senator Michelle Benson and Democratic analyst Abou Amara about Wisconsin's U.S. Senate race that will now pit Republican Businessman Eric Hovde against two term incumbent Democrat Senator Tammy Baldwin.
The August primaries are in the books in both Minnesota and Wisconsin, setting the table for the main November elections in both states. In Talking Points, Esme Murphy spoke with political expert Larry Jacobs about the primary results, including Rep. Ilhan Omar winning her primary race.
Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon is warning about disinformation in the days leading up to the state's primary and the November election.
There are a few ghost towns in our state, but how about a ghost harbor? In this week's Finding Minnesota, John Lauritsen looks at the rise and fall of Taconite Harbor in Cook County.
In this week's Finding Minnesota, John Lauritsen travels to Fillmore County to show us how Mystery Cave got its name.
Summer is roller coaster season in Minnesota. And there's one up north that provides a different kind of experience. In this week's Finding Minnesota, John Lauritsen shows us how pure gravity fuels the Timber Twister.
Instead of watching old, classic cars leave the state, a museum in Wright County is trying to keep them around at the Veit Museum near Buffalo.
When Belgian immigrants settled in Ghent, they brought along rolle bolle — a sport that's sort of a cross between curling and lawn bowling — but you don't play with a ball, you play with a bolle.
The first known radio jingle debuted on WCCO Radio in 1926, advertising General Mills' Wheaties cereal.
If you visit one of Minnesota's many trail systems, it's almost expected to see someone not just riding a bike, but an electric one.
The seasonal display at Michaels would have you thinking it's a crisp fall day in early October, but we haven't even snagged a Pronto Pup at the Minnesota State Fair yet.
At first glance, it looks like a pretty purple flower. The creeping bellflower been popping up all over gardens, yards, and alleys this summer.
It's not a new concept by any means. Color analysis has been around for decades and was wildly popular in the 1980s with the release of Carole Jackson's "Color Me Beautiful."
The northern lights dazzled Minnesotans overnight, and some WCCO viewers shared their best pictures.
The Minnesota State Fair has announced its new offerings for 2024, and they include plenty of fried foods, plenty of dairy, and plenty of sweet corn. See the full roster of new items here.
Thousands lined the streets of Hennepin Avenue on Sunday for the Twin Cities Pride Parade.
Many Minnesotans will be cleaning up Thursday from a storm system that brought sizable hail, heavy winds and possible tornado touchdowns.
Minnesotans were delighted by an otherworldly light show Friday night that was on a level the state hadn't seen in nearly two decades.
WCCO meteorologist Adam Del Rosso says some rain chances should linger into Saturday, but following that there looks to be a sunny break.
In Minnesota, weather can be all over the place. Here at WCCO, we want to give you what you need to prepare for what's happening next.
WCCO meteorologist Joseph Dames says a mostly cloudy sky keeps us in the mid 70s Friday afternoon, but a few extra peeks of sun Saturday gets us into the upper 70s.
Meteorologist Joseph Dames says an area of low pressure pushes across Minnesota on Friday, keeping things cloudy with a chance for isolated showers and thundershowers all day.
An area of low pressure pushes across Minnesota on Friday, keeping things cloudy with a chance for isolated showers and thundershowers all day.
WCCO meteorologist Adam Del Rosso says some rain chances should linger into Saturday, but following that there looks to be a sunny break.
The fire happened on Tuesday, and on Friday morning investigators returned with cadaver dogs to sweep through the building once again just to make sure no one else was inside.
Violent crime has decreased by 8.2% overall between 2022 and 2023, according to new data by the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension.
Brad Glynn, of Lift Bridge Brewing, previews what to expect at the Minnesota State Fair in 2024.
Jess Fast and Meagan Rother talk more about the upcoming Anoka Food Truck Festival.