Video / photos of Cannon River flooding

Video	Photos
Friday, Sept. 24	Friday, Sept. 24
Tuesday, Sept. 28	Monday, Sept. 27
Tuesday, Oct. 5	Tuesday, Oct. 5
	Monday, Oct. 18

Latest Information

UPDATED FRIDAY, Nov. 18, 5:00 p.m.

Excerpts from a campus update issued by Vice President Fred Rogers:

(The full update can be read here)
After weeks of hard work by so many dedicated and caring people on campus, we have good news to report on the ongoing clean-up from the September flooding.

Laird Stadium: Some reconstruction work on the lower level of the Stadium could begin in the next several weeks.  The 2nd and 3rd floors of the Stadium have been opened for normal use.  Boring samples have been taken from the outdoor track to determine the condition of the base structure under the track surface.  Results are expected in the next few weeks.  Most of this work will not be completed until the spring.

West Gym:  Our athletic department, which also deserves special thanks for their good will and great patience, have been able to return to the building this week.  All mechanical systems are now functional.  We will be ready for our first home basketball game of the season – Carleton men vs. Hamline – on December 1.

UPDATED FRIDAY, Oct. 8, 10:00 a.m.

UPDATED WEDNESDAY, Oct. 6, 11:00 a.m.

Carleton College athletic director Gerald Young announced the following changes to the competition schedule for the coming weeks:

• The football game vs. St. Olaf on Sat., Oct. 16 has been moved to the St. Olaf campus. Kickoff is still scheduled for 1 p.m.
• The swimming teams' intrasquad/alumni meet on Sat., Oct 9 has been moved to the pool inside Cowling Gymnasium. Racing begins at 11 a.m.
• Three other athletic events were previously re-located. Volleyball played its matches against Saint Mary's University (Sept. 25) and Bethel University (Oct. 2) at St. Olaf. The Carleton footbal team played its homecoming game vs. Augsburg College on Oct. 2 at Northfield High School. 

UPDATED TUESDAY, Oct. 5, 5:00 p.m.

Video and photos showing the aftermath of the flood and the cleanup process are now available. See the chart at the top of this page.

UPDATED TUESDAY, Sept. 28, 3:30 p.m.

Carleton College athletic director Gerald Young announced the following updates on the school’s athletic facilities, including changes to the competition schedule for the coming week. College officials are asking everyone to please stay out of any of the flooded areas until they have been fully inspected and deemed safe and sanitary by the appropriate officials.

Student Housing: The 31 students who were evacuated from Wilson, Allen, Prentice and Geffert houses will likely return to those residences by the end of the week. The only impact to those student residences was some minimal damage to drywall and replacement of hot-water heaters.

Laird Stadium: Much of the water has drained off the field. The Homecoming football game versus Augsburg College on Saturday, Oct. 2, has been moved to Memorial Field at Northfield High School. Kickoff is still set for 1 p.m. Schedule and location changes for the three remaining home games on the schedule are still pending. Damage to the mechanical and electrical systems inside the building, plus the need to clean up the interior and exterior of the building, will likely prevent Carleton from playing any more home games at Laird Stadium this season. The eight-lane running track has to be replaced; there are at least a dozen tears—some stretching 12 inches—in the running surface. No track and field meets will be held at Laird Stadium during the 2011 outdoor season. Some equipment in the athletic training room likely needs to be replaced/repaired.

West Gym/Thorpe Pool: The main portions of the building were not affected, including the playing floor, locker rooms, and offices. However, damage to the mechanical and electrical systems has likely rendered the building unusable for a couple of weeks. Thorpe Pool inside West Gym appears to be undamaged, although the pumps for water circulation and filtration need to be assessed and repaired/replaced. Any students, faculty, staff and community members that were using Thorpe Pool will now utilize the pool at Cowling Gymnasium.

West Gym practice fields: This area is still underwater and will need assessing by campus grounds when the water further recedes.

Arboretum: Once the waters recede, Cowling Arboretum and Carleton grounds-crew staff will assess the extent of erosion experienced in the arboretum and practice fields.

Clean-up assistance: Assistance is needed (and very much appreciated) as clean-up efforts take place. For more information and further instructions, visit http://www.northfield.org/flood/.

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Football: The team will now use locker rooms, offices, classroom space, and practice facilities at the Recreation Center. The Homecoming football game versus Augsburg College on Saturday, Oct. 2, has been moved to Memorial Field at Northfield High School. Kickoff is still set for 1 p.m. Schedule and location changes for the three remaining home games on the schedule are still pending.

Volleyball: Wednesday’s home volleyball match versus Bethel University has been re-located to the Skoglund Center on the campus of St. Olaf College. The match is now slated for an 8 p.m. start. The volleyball team will now use Cowling Gymnasium on the other end of campus for its practice and locker room facilities. Cowling will also be the new site for the alumni game scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 2.

Men’s Soccer: The team, which used West Gym for its locker room space and practiced on the adjacent fields, will also move its operations to Cowling Gymnasium. The team will utilize practice fields behind the Recreation Center. Bell Field, the competition site for both men’s and women’s soccer was not damaged during last week’s flooding.

Swimming and Diving:  Practice begins on Monday, Oct. 4, and the teams will use the pool located inside Cowling Gymnasium. The Carleton and St. Olaf diving teams already practice together, and they will now train at the Skoglund Center Natatorium on the St. Olaf campus.

Basketball: Practices don’t begin until Oct. 15. Until then, team members that want to practice on their own will look for court time at either the Recreation Center or Cowling Gymnasium.

Track and Field: Arrangements for alternative practice sites during the spring outdoor season will be made at a later date.

The athletic department is still taking inventory of what equipment from the affected buildings and programs was damaged and must be replaced. Quick work by Carleton coaches, staff, and student-athletes helped to greatly limit the extent of the damage. Other athletic department offices located in West Gym will be moved to available office space at the Recreation Center (athletic administration) and Cowling Gymnasium (men’s and women’s swimming and diving, and men’s and women’s basketball). The sports information office was re-located to Leighton Hall.

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Update on Monday, Sept. 27, 2010, at 4:17 p.m. CDT

A memo has been released to the College community providing the latest updates regarding flood conditions on campus:

Our primary goal is to keep everyone safe, secure, and as dry as possible. The river level is now falling, but it will be a while until it is fully back within its normal banks.  As the buildings and fields adjacent to the river emerge, we will begin to assess the damage and necessary repairs.

At this time, power has not been restored to either the West Gym or Laird Stadium.  When the water is down to a safe level in the mechanical areas of those buildings, we will work to restore the power as quickly as possible.  That may require a second shutdown of the upper campus buildings that were briefly without power Friday.  When this is clear, we will notify everyone with as much advance warning as possible.  Because of the damage to mechanical equipment at West Gym and the building itself at the Stadium, it is likely that these buildings will be closed to campus use for at least two weeks.

We are beginning to make alternative arrangements to allow normal activities to continue.  The football team and soccer teams will practice on fields near the Rec Center and we are making arrangements to store their equipment in this area to facilitate their practices.  The Homecoming game this weekend against Augsburg has been relocated to the Northfield High School field and we will work out logistics of transportation and parking and make a separate announcement about that as the time approaches.  We are deeply grateful to both the Northfield School District and St. Olaf for offering us the use of their fields. Further changes in the home football schedule will be announced as they are finalized.  Other activities from the West Gym will be rescheduled by Athletics and notices will come from them.

The students who were moved out of Allen, Geffert, Prentice and Wilson houses will be individually notified when it is safe to return to those locations.  We hope to have them all back in their regular spaces within one week.

At this time we understand from the City of Northfield that the 4th Street bridge remains closed, but the other two city bridges have reopened to normal traffic.  I should reiterate the dangers of entering the flood waters to wade or swim, or even to boat.  These waters continue to be physically very dangerous and are now also a health hazard, as there is sewage from Faribault and Owatonna flowing into the rivers.  Please avoid entering the water at any time.

We want to extend a special and heartfelt “Thank You” to all of the Carleton staff, students and faculty who have given of their time and creative energy to assist so generously in this time of need. We were able to address the issues on campus quickly and thoughtfully because staff came out in the night to begin their work. Student athletes and residents responded quickly and energetically to assist in getting their equipment and personal belongings to safety.

Most impressively, many Carleton faculty, students, and staff responded to the call from Northfield for sandbagging assistance. It was heartening to see so many engaged in helping our neighbors at this time. Surely we experienced, and are continuing to experience, an exceptional event and its consequences. The typical Carl attitudes of thoughtful engagement, generosity, and humor have helped us all to survive and thrive.

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Update on Monday Sept. 27, 2010, at 11:33 a.m. CDT After reaching record levels in and around the Northfield area, the Cannon River has receded and damage assessments of affected areas have begun. Only the Fourth Street bridge in Northfield remains closed. Access to and from the Carleton campus is open, although West Gym and Laird Stadium (and surrounding practice fields) remain closed and off-limits.

Volunteer assistance is needed (and very much appreciated) as clean-up efforts take place. For more information and further instructions, visit http://www.northfield.org/flood/.

Carleton's Homecoming football game scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 2, will take place at Northfield's Memorial Field, next to the Northfield High School. The Carleton Knights take on Augsburg College at 1 p.m.

Thanks to Griff Wigley, Locally Grown Northfield, for providing an aerial view of the portions of campus significantly affected by flooding.

  Photo Gallery of Laird Stadium/West Gym Flooding | KSTP-TV Video on Campus Flooding | Carleton Media Relations Video Footage/Interviews of Flooding

Update on Friday, Sept. 24, 2010, at 2:05 p.m. CDT The flood waters continue to rise, but thus far only one campus event has been changed. The volleyball team's scheduled home match against Saint Mary's University has been moved from West Gym to St. Olaf College's Skoglund Center. Match time remains 3 p.m. Otherwise, all other scheduled athletic events are unchanged at this point, including the women's soccer team's home match with Hamline University at Bell Field at 1 p.m. Check Knights Online, your home for Carleton Athletics, for more information.

President Steven G. Poskanzer's Inauguration Convocation and the celebration following are still a go, and other the scheduled inauguration events will proceed as planned. We will have more updates as they become available. Local media is reporting that the Cannon River is expected to crest sometime Friday evening. 

Update at 11:36 a.m. CDT Northfield, Minn.­­––Due to heavy rains from late Wednesday afternoon through Thursday, the Cannon River has reached record flood stage levels in and around the Northfield area. As of 11 a.m. Central Daylight Time, the City of Northfield has declared a state of emergency, which by definition extends through Sunday. This flooding has closed the Second, Fourth and Fifth Street bridges in Northfield, which connects Carleton College to the west side of town, and in particular to any vehicle traffic coming off Interstate 35, west from Minnesota Highway 19 and Minnesota Highway 3 (north and south). This means getting to the Carleton campus from these points mentioned above is restricted to using Woodley Street as access to the east side of Northfield and the Carleton campus. Vehicle traffic coming from the west (via I-35/Minn Hwy 19 East) is being detoured south on Minn. Hwy 3 and then east onto Woodley Street. The same goes for southbound traffic on Minn. Hwy 3, as traffic is being rerouted onto Woodley Street. Once on Woodley, those wishing to get to campus should continue on Woodley Street until arriving at either Division Street or Washington Street, turning left (north) and continuing towards campus. The flooding does not affect traffic coming from the east via Minn. Hwy. 19 west. For more detailed, statewide information on how flooding is impacting vehicular travel, visit http://www.511mn.org/ (also available to mobile browser users).

In a note to faculty, staff and students on campus, vice president and treasurer Fred Rogers said that  the Stadium and West Gym are closed. Power has been shut off to the Stadium and may be shut off to the West Gym. No one should enter those buildings, Rogers stated. Wilson, Allen, Prentice and Geffert houses (all along the Cannon River) are closed and residents of those houses have received a specific email with instructions for alternative on-campus housing and a request that they evacuate any personal belongings that they will need immediately. Staff are on-site to assist and advise these affected students.

The water is on the Laird Stadium football field and track and all of the West Gym fields. Rogers noted that the flood waters are very dangerous and no one should be wading or swimming in these flooded areas. The flood river creates undercurrents and holes and the river bank and main current may not be evident when walking in the water. Officials are asking everyone to stay out of the water in the flooded areas.

Minnesota Highway 3 south is closed approaching Faribault. Highway 19 is endangered where it crosses Spring Creek below Lyman Lakes, and may have to be closed there as well. As of this time, classes are not being canceled and President Steven G. Poskanzer's Inauguration Convocation and other the scheduled inauguration events will proceed as planned. More updates will be provided as the College understands the developing situation.

Rogers asked campus community members to take appropriate precautions under these exceptional circumstances. If students have any questions about student housing, they are to call the Residence Life Office. If any campus member witness a dangerous situation, they should call Campus Security at (507)222-4444.