No news is good news. City officials have ceased flood-related media updates for the time being because the Cannon River continues to recede and is not currently a serious threat to Northfielders. "It continues to come down," said Chuck Walerius, deputy police chief, on Tuesday. He said the water level has dropped 2 inches since Monday and is down considerably since the Cannon peaked a week ago. Using a stick gauge at the Northfield Safety Center, which remains protected by sandbags, Walerius said the water measures at 8 inches. A week ago, when water was level with the west-side Riverwalk …

The Cannon River has receded eight inches since yesterday evening and a full two feet since 5 p.m. Tuesday evening, says Northfield City Administrator Tim Madigan. According to reports out of Faribault, readings from the Straight River indicate a 4.3-inch recession as well.    The water seems to be dropping both inside and outside the riverbeds as well.  "Water levels in all areas that I have observed have receded to some point including some of the large surface flooding areas we have," Madigan said. Things seem to be stablizing across the county as well.  "The Cannon River Basin saw a rise …

While much of the metro area curses the recent spate of snow, the wintry weather is a welcome guest in and around Northfield today. Given the ferocity of the rain over the past few days, Northfield residents and officials have been busily preparing for the second major flood to hit the city in less than six months.  But all of that changed late last night when the temperatures dropped and the rain changed to snow.  "The rain converting over to snow helped slow down the rate of the river’s rise overnight so although the levels have risen they did not rise to the level that the National Weather…

As of this morning the weather service is reporting a storm total of 1.0-1.5 inches of rain across the watershed feeding the Cannon in Northfield.  The river continued to rise overnight in response to this precipitation. But according to Northfield Public Works Director Katy Gehler, the water level of the Straight River between Faribault and Owatonna has held relatively steady since 6 a.m. and there is approximately two feet of (distance between the waterline) and the  Northfield Safety Center. While the possibility of flooding downtown Northfield has waned slightly, water levels have reached…

Currently the river is approximately three feet below the 100-year flood elevation and five feet below the peak of the Sept. 2010 flood.  Northfield's Public Works Department has roughly 3,000 sandbags prepared to protect city facilities, particularly the Safety Center. The Safety Center parking lot sits close to the 100-year flood elevation. According to city engineers, the plan is to build a one-foot sandbag berm around the perimeter of the parking lot, should protection become necessary. A decision on the sandbag berm is expected to be made around midday. 

As of 8 a.m. this morning, Northfield has received nearly an inch of rain since Monday. Moreover, the Straight River between Faribault and Owatonna has received approximately 1.25 inches of rain, say engineers with the City of Northfield. According to an update from the office of City Administrator Tim Madigan, the river level had receded a few inches from its earlier peak on Monday night, but during the last few hours (of Tuesday morning) it has risen back to Monday's peak and continues to rise. City engineers expect to see the river rise an additional 12 to 24 inches before the storm moves …

Well, it is official, the flood season is upon us. Every year the Cannon River rises and falls with varying impact on the lives of Northfield citizens. But this year, thanks to warmer weather and more rain in the forecast, a potentially problematic situation is brewing.  But, rest assured, Northfield city officials are on the case. "We did a tour this morning of the Public Safety Center and Downtown areas. Rice County has also been keeping us informed on the river levels and the Police Department is monitoring the river," Northfield City Administrator Tim Madigan told Patch.  According to …

Editor's note: Each week, Mayor Mary Rossing will speak directly to Northfielders about topics ranging from policies to city functions to what you should check out the coming weekend.

City officials on Thursday talked about a potential spring flood. For more on the meeting, click here to read the story.

City officials on Thursday said it’s too early to say how hard—or little—a spring flood could hit Northfield. Public Works Director Katy Gehler says the city is taking the necessary steps to protect its assets should the Cannon River rise this spring. “We’re getting prepared and monitoring the situation,” she said. But predicting what’s to come is the hardest guesswork there is. Gehler said myriad factors affect potential flooding, including saturation of the ground, logjams, amount of snow on the ground and precipitation. Northfield Public Safety Director Mark Taylor said the city has …