Flooding is set to peak in Big Stone, Lac qui Parle, and Chippewa Counties. Most of Big Stone Lake still has up to 12 inches of ice, so there will be more melting to come.
Hwy 12 is covered with water at the CR 21 intersection 6 miles east of Ortonville. Travel will be highly restricted in central Lac qui Parle County for the next week, maybe two. Montevideo is nearing record flood stage; the dam area at the south end of Lac qui Parle SP is currently inaccessible. I just spoke with Scott Simmons at Big Stone NWR, and the gates to the auto tour will remain locked for awhile. 75% of the auto tour is currently under water. You can hike in if you wish. You can also legally canoe it, as the auto tour is now part of the Minnesota River. He was hopeful that it would be open by April 27, but that will depend on the extent of structural/roadway damage, which is currently unknown. In the past two days large flocks of Snow Geese have been passing overhead in the mornings. Lots of Goldeneyes around this year. This morning's firsts for Big Stone Lake were Ruddy Ducks and Hooded Mergansers. Lots of Common Mergansers as well. A flock of Tundra Swans landed in the refuge yesterday. Plenty of Greater White-Fronted Geese are passing over, but I haven't seen any groups on the ground yet. No Shorebirds in flooded fields. Eastern and Western Meadlowlarks, Song Sparrows, Fox Sparrows, Red-Winged and Yellow-Headed Blackbirds also present. There are a few Pelicans showing up as well. -- Jason M. Frank Ortonville Public Library Founder & Vice President Luddite Ornithologists League (LOL) Big Stone County, Minnesota ---- Join or Leave mou-net: http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=mou-net Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html
