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Authorities Recommend Against Paddling on Minnehaha Creek

​Recent rains have caused dangerously high water levels on the Minnehaha Creek.

Recent rains have caused dangerously high water levels on the Minnehaha Creek.

While it's shaping up to be a beautiful start to the Labor Day weekend, the Minnehaha Creek Watershed District recommends against paddling on Minnehaha Creek at this time, according to a news release.

Due to recent heavy rain, the creek is flowing at a rate of about 225 cubic feet per second (CFS), well above the 75-to-150 CFS range consider safe for paddling. Rapids, downed trees, debris and low bridge clearances all pose hazards for paddlers when the creek is flowing quickly.

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The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources reports that it has been among the 20 wettest Twin Cities summers on record thus far. The rain has also pushed Lake Minnetonka, the headwaters of Minnehaha Creek, to an unseasonably high water level.

Because water is still flowing into Lake Minnetonka from its many tributaries, authorities anticipate the lake and creek to remain high in the coming weeks.

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For more information about paddling Minnehaha Creek, including safety tips and current conditions, visit the creek website.

Image: Passej via Flickr /Creative Commons

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