Austin, MN - A City Defined by Water

austin

AUSTIN: A CITY DEFINED BY WATER

BY: JORDAN HEDLUND

AN IN-DEPTH STUDY OF THE HISTORY OF WATER IN THE CITY

CONTENTS 8

HISTORIC HYDROLOGY

08 10 RIVER TYPOLOGY. & FLOODPLAINS TODAY

10 12

LANDUSE

12 14

HABITAT AND HISTORY

14 MRDL - 2

16 1978 FLOODING OF AUSTIN

16 18 TOP 5

18 20

FLASH FLOOD

20 22 2004 FLOOD

22 24 2016 FLOOD

24 MRDL - 3

T

he flood of 1978 dropped nearly 9� of rain across the Cedar River Watershed within 24 hours.

1978 flood 8th Avenue NW & Main St. Provided by Tim Ruzek Cedar River Watershed District MRDL - 4

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AUSTIN IS LOCATED IN SOUTHEAST MINNESOTA, ABOUT A 2 HOUR DRIVE SOUTH OF THE TWIN CITIES. IT IS LOCATED IN MOWER COUNTY, BORDERING IOWA.

1920’s Horace Austin State Park, Mill Pond Aerial Cororized Provided by Tim Ruzek Cedar River Watershed District MRDL - 6

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1.) CEDAR RIVER DAM: INITIALL CALLED THE 4TH AVE NE DAM, IT WAS FIRST CONSTRUCTED BEFORE THE CITY OF AUSTIN WAS OFFICIALLY FOUNDED. ORIGINALLY OWNED BY HORMEL, THIS DAM SERVED TO POWER THE LOCAL FLOUR MILL. DAMMING OF THE CEDAR RIVER IN TURN BACKED UP THE RIVER TO THE NORTH CREATING THE MILL POND AREA. OVER THE YEARS THE MILL POND WAS DREDGED MULTIPLE TIMES TO CREATE A SHALLOW “LAKE” THAT IS 5 METERS DEEP AT ITS DEEPEST, AND

HISTORIC HYDROLOGY

HAS HAD 1 TO 2 MAN-MADE ISLANDS DEPENDING ON RIVER CREST. IN THE 1960’S A NEW ROUTE FOR THE CEDAR RIVER WAS CUT, ELIMINATING A ECOLOGICALLY RICH CORRIDOR OF LAND. ON

...water wins, always...

THIS LAND NOW SITS IMPERVIOUS BUILDINGS AND PARKING, ONLY EXACERBATING THE FLOODING ISSUE IN THE CITY. TODAY THE RIVER AVERAGES ABOUT 16 ACRES IN SIZE WITH A WATERSHED OF JUST OVER 50,000 ACRES.

2.) MCAFEE DAM: IN 1863, THE MOWER COUNTY MILL AND DAM WERE CONSTRCUTED OUT OF LOGS AND BOULDERS. THE DAM WAS DAMAGED IN THE EARLY 1900’S AND REBUILT MULTIPLE TIMES, BUT UNFORTUNATELY SHORTLY LIVED. IN THE WINTER OF 1936 THE DAMN WAS BLOWN UP IN HOPES THAT RETURNING THE NATURAL FLOW OF THE RIVER WOULD REDUCE FLOODING UPSTREAM. THE MILL BUILDING HAS SURVIVED TO THIS DAY.

3.) RAMSEY MILL DAM: RAMSEY MILL POND WAS COMPLETED IN 1872 JUST 2 MILES NORTH OF THE MILL POND ON THE CEDAR RIVER. LIKE THE MILL POND AND ITS DAM, THIS TOO WAS OWNED BY HORMEL. LIKELY MOTIVATION FOR OWNERSHIP OF 2 DAMS IN SUCH CLOSE PROXIMITY WAS CONTROL OF THE WATERWAY AND ICE HARVESTING IN THE WINTER. TODAY THE DAM IS OWNED BY THE ADJACENT RESTAUR ANT THAT OVERLOOKS IT. SIMILAR TO THE MILL POND, THE WATER BACKS UP CREATING THE RAMSEY POND. THIS POND IS 37 ACRES IN SIZE AND IS FED BY A 50,0 0 0 ACRE WATERSHED.WATERSHED.

4.) DOBBINS CREEK DAM: THE DOBBINS CREEK DAM WAS COMPLETED IN 1934. SIMILAR TO THE CEDAR RIVER DAM, A “LAKE” WAS CREATED IMMEDIATELY UPSTRE AM FROM IT. THE SIZE OF THE L AKE VARIES DEPENDING ON RIVER FLOW, BUT TODAY IT AVERAGES 40 ACRES LARGE THAT IS FED BY A

T

Author JORDAN HEDLUND HE STORY OF AUSTIN IS D E F I N E D B Y WAT E R , A N D ITS LOCATION WITHIN THE CEDAR RIVER WATERSHED. THE

CEDAR

RIVER

WATERSHED STARTS IN MINNESOTA BEFORE ITS LONG MEANDERING JOURNEY THROUGH

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THE CEDAR RIVER, AND A LO N G 2 M A J O R S U B WAT E R S H E D S , T U R T L E

CREEK AND DOBBINS CREEK, TELL A DAUNTING STORY. THE 3 RIVERS AND WATERSHEDS COME TO A CONFLUENCE IN PROXIMIT Y OF WHAT

AUSTIN SERVES AS A CL ASSIC E XAMP LE OF

W E R E M A N Y DA M S A LO N G T H E R I V E R. A S

WHAT WE IN THE MIDWEST HAVE GROWN TO

HISTORY WILL SHOW, ONLY 3 DAMS WOULD

KNOW AS “RURAL”. THE CIT Y BEGAN IN THE

SHOW THE TEST OF TIME. MANY WERE

M I D 1 9 T H C E N T U R Y A F T E R T H E C R E AT I O N

WIPED AWAY FROM HISTORIC STORMS AND

O F DA M S A LO N G T H E C E DA R R I V E R TO A I D

FLOODING, AND SOME REMOVED IN HOPES

WITH THE MILLING INDUSTRY. THE SUCCESS

TO REDUCE THE IMPACT OF THE RIVER. THE

OF THIS INDUSTRY AND THE CONTROL OF

FUTURE OF AUSTIN MAY BE UNKNOWN, BUT

T H E WAT E R WAY E V E N T UA L LY L E A D S T O A

H O P E F U L LY F R O M R E C O G N I T I O N O F T H E

SIGNIFICANT POPULATION AND BOOM INTO THE

PAST, AUSTIN CAN LOOK TOWARDS A SAFER,

20TH CENTURY. INDUSTRY AND PEOPLE LIVED

HEALTHIER, AND PROSPEROUS FUTURE.

WITHOUT CONSEQUENCES.

CEDAR RIVER WATERSHED DISTRICT

T H E H E A D WAT E R S O F

IOWA, IN SEARCH OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER.

SYMBIOTICALLY FOR GENERATIONS, BUT NOT

HISTORICAL INFORMATION PROVIDED BY TIM RUZEK,

A

U S T I N ’ S LO CAT I O N AT

3

1

4

2

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River Typology and Floodplains Today

FLOODPLAIN 100YR FLOOD 500YR FLOOD

OVER THE LAST 30 YEARS THE STORMS TO HIT THE REGION HAVE BECOME L ARGER AND MORE

STREAM TYPE ”D <0.5% SLOPE

MULTIPLE CHAN

WELL VEGETATE

FLOODPLAINS, W

FREQUENT. FLOOD MITIGATION OVER THE L AST DECADE HAS REDUCED THE IMPACT ON THE C O M M U N I T Y A N D P R I VAT E PROPERTY. ZONING ALONG THE FLOODPLAIN AND 100 YEAR MARKS HAS MOVED FROM HOUSING AND COMMERCIAL TO PARKLAND. THIS STEP HAS PAVED THE WAY TO CHANGING AUSTIN FROM A CITY BUILT ON THE RIVER TO A CITY BUILT WITH THE RIVER.

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STREAM TYPE ”A”: 4% - 10% SLOPE, MEDIUM WIDTH/DEPTH RATIO

STREAM TYPE ”E”: <2% SLOPE LOW GRADIENT, LOW WIDTH/DEPTH RATIO

DA”:

NNELS

ED

WETLANDS

STREAM TYPE ”A”: 4% - 10% SLOPE, MEDIUM WIDTH/DEPTH RATIO

STREAM TYPE ”E”: <2% SLOPE LOW GRADIENT, LOW WIDTH/DEPTH RATIO

STREAM TYPE ”A”: 4% - 10% SLOPE, MEDIUM

FEMA FLOODPLAIN DATA, GIS, MNGEOSPATIAL COMMONS

WIDTH/DEPTH RATIO

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MILL POND 1954

MILL POND 1938

MILL POND 2015

LAND USE LEFT: THIS SERIES SHOWS THE DEGRADATION OF WILD NATIVE LAND TO IMPERVIOUS SURFACES AROUND THE MILL POND AND DAM. ABOVE: SHOWS THE CURRENT STATE OF THE MILL POND AND LOCATION OF THE CEDAR RIVER AFTER IT WAS REROUTED IN THE 1960’S TO CREATE AUSTIN’S FIRST MALL. THIS MALL SITS IN THE FLOOD PLAIN AND WOULD CONTINUE TO EVACUATE FROM FLOODING REGULARLY. HISTORICAL MAPS STITCHED TOGETHER FROM MHAPO MINNESOTA HISTORICAL AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHS ONLINE

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SOUTHERN TERRAC

SOUTHERN MESI FOREST

SOUTHERN WET A

HABITAT AND HISTORY THE ECOLOGICAL HISTORY OF AUSTIN IS STARTLING AND ENLIGHTENING. SINCE THE EARLY 1900’S, AUSTIN HAS LOST NEARLY 90% OF ITS NATURAL WETLANDS AND DRAINED OVER 21, 0 0 0 ACRES ALONG THE CEDAR RIVER. MOTIVATION TO REMOVE NATURAL HABITAT WAS MANY FOLD; ONE REASON WAS TO CREATE PARKL AND LIKE HORACE AUSTIN PARK IN 1915; ANOTHER WAS TO GET RID OF WHAT WAS A “SMELLY” AREA OF THE CITY. EITHER WAY, IT IS EASY TO SEE THAT TODAY THERE IS A ECOLOGICAL VOID ACROSS THE MAJORITY OF THE CITY, THOUGH THE RIVER STILL EXISTS.

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MESIC PRAIRIE

S O U T H E R N OA WOODLAND)

ACE FOREST

IC MAPLE-BASSWOOD

ASH SWAMP

AK FOREST (MAPLE

REROUTED BEND IN THE 1960â&#x20AC;&#x2122;S

MRDL - 15 DNR HABITAT CLASSIFICATION, GIS, MNGEOSPATIAL COMMONS

SEPTEMBER 12

JULY 16

JULY 5

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FLOOD DATA REDRAWN FROM NOAA HIST

TORICAL FLOOD ARCHIVE

1978 FLOODING OF AUSTIN THE SUMMER OF 1978 WOULD TURN OUT TO BE THE 4TH HIGHEST CREST OF THE CEDAR RIVER. THIS WAS IN PART DUE TO MULTIPLE SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS OCCURRING BACK TO BACK. OVER THE COURSE OF 3 MONTHS, 3 RECORD SETTING STORMS DUMPED ENORMOUS AMOUNTS OF RAIN ON THE CEDAR RIVER WATERSHED. THE JULY 5TH FLOOD DROPPED UPWARDS OF 6” ACROSS THE NORTHERN PARTS OF THE WATERSHED IN 24 HOURS. JULY 16TH SET THE RECORD THAT YEAR OF DELIVERING 9” OF RAIN IN 24 HOURS ALONG THE CEDAR RIVER AND TURTLE CREEK WATERSHEDS. TURTLE CREEK WOULD EVENTUALLY FLOW INTO THE CEDAR RIVER AND FLOOD AUSTIN. IN SEPTEMBER, THE THIRD STORM HIT, LARGEST IN AREA, DROPPING 7” OF RAIN ACROSS THE WATERSHED. THE JULY 16TH STORM WOULD CREST THE CEDAR RIVER AT 21.9’ IN LESS THAN 24 HOURS.

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TOP 5 CEDAR RIVER HISTORIC CRESTS TOP 5 TEMPERATURE HIGHS FOR AUSTIN

AF TER LOOKING AT THE HISTORICAL SPREAD OF RECORD TEMPERATURES AND RIVER CRESTS, IT IS DIFFICULT TO DENY ANY CORRELATION OF PEAKS IN THE LAST 30

FLOOD STAG

YEARS. THOUGH THERE IS LIKELY LITTLE TO NO CORRELATION BETWEEN TEMPERATURE AND FLOODING IN AUSTIN, THIS DOES SHED LIGHT ON A DRASTICALLY CHANGING CLIMATE IN MOST RECENT HISTORY. 8 OUT OF THE LAST 10 HIGHEST RECORDED TEMPERATURES AND CEDAR RIVER CRESTS HAVE HAPPENED IN THE LAST 30 YEARS. FROM 1998 - 2013 MOWER COUNT Y HAS BEEN PART OF THE FEMA FEDERAL DISASTER DECLARATION 6 TIMES BETWEEN 1998-2013, ALL DUE TO FLOODING AND/ OR SEVER STORMS. 1998, 2000, 2001, 2004, 2008, 2010 THE CHALLENGE TODAY IS HOW DO WE ADAPT.

FLOOD DATA R ASSESSMENT OF M

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99 DEGREES

102 DEGREES

100 DEGREES

100 DEGREES

100 DEGREES

GE AT 15â&#x20AC;&#x2122;

REDRAWN FROM NOAA NATURAL HA ZARD MOWER COUNTY, MN

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FLOOD DATA REDRAWN FROM NOA ASSESSMENT OF MOWER COUNTY, MN

AA NATURAL HA ZARD

FLASH FLOOD WARNING COUNTS IN MOWER COUNTY 2003 - 2013 IN A 10 YEAR PERIOD, THERE WERE 22 OFFICIAL FLASH FLOOD WARNINGS. THIS PERIOD CONTAINS THE HISTORICAL 2004 FLOOD, THAT ALSO CONTAINED THE 2ND HIGHEST FREQUENCY OF WARNINGS IN THE DECADE RECORDED.

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AUSTIN 2004 FLOOD - HIGHEST ON RECORDED HISTORY

IN SEPTEMBER OF 2004, A RECORD RAINFALL OF 12” WAS RECORDED JUST NORTH OF AUSTIN IN BLOOMING PRAIRIE. THE COMBINED WATERSHEDS OF DOBBINS CREEK AND TURTLE CREEK BOTTLE NECKED INTO THE CEDAR RIVER IN DOWNTOWN AUSTIN. FROM THIS, THE CEDAR RIVER REACHED A HISTORICAL PEAK OF NEARLY 25’, RAISING ALMOST 20’ IN JUST UNDER 24 HOURS. THE CITY SANDBAGGED TO THE BEST OF THEIR ABILITIES BUT MUCH WAS LOST. A 20-YEAR OLD AUSTIN MAN LOST HIS LIFE TRYING TO CROSS THE WATERS TO SAFETY. FROM 1995 - 2013 THERE WERE 18 FLOOD RELATED FATALITIES IN MINNESOTA

DOBBINS CR

CEDAR RIVE

TURTLE CRE

FLOOD DATA REDR

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16,000 CU. FT. SEC. RELEASED PEAK

3,400 CU. FT. SEC. RELEASED PEAK

2,400 CU. FT. SEC. RELEASED PEAK

REEK

ER

EEK

RAWN FROM NOAA HISTORICAL FLOOD ARCHIVE

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CEDAR RIVER TURTLE CREEK

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FLOOD DATA REDRAWN FROM NOAA HIST

TORICAL FLOOD ARCHIVE

AUSTIN - 2016 FLOOD

IN 2016 THE CEDAR RIVER WATERSHED FLOODED AGAIN, INUNDATING THE CITY OF AUSTIN. THANKS TO FLOOD MITIGATION ACTION OVER THE PAST DECADE, DAMAGE TO PRIVATE AND PUBLIC PROPERTY WAS MINIMAL AND NO LIVES WERE LOST. FROM THE MINIMAL COST TO PROPERTY AND LIVES EMERGES WHAT TIM RUZEK FROM THE CEDAR RIVER WATERSHED DISTRICT CALLS “FLOOD AMNESIA”, AND DIFFICULTY GAINING SUPPORT FOR FUTURE PROJECTS DUE TO LACK OF NEGATIVE IMPACT ON THE COMMUNITY.

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“

...stars got blind by the broken clouds, ascended f ro m th e a by s s o f th e horizons. Nocturnal chorus of legendary frogs, and the beetles added awe and gloom. Some slept with open eyes and sense, as they knew how dreadful the water might turn in the monstrous night. Sweeping o f f e ve r y t r a c e o f e x i s t e n c e.

- “A flood in memory”, Tajudeen Shah

1930’S Horace Austin State Park Colorized Progressive Austin Magazine Provided by Tim Ruzak Cedar River Watershed District MRDL - 27