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Storm Events Database
Event Details
| Event | Flash Flood |
| -- Flood Cause | Heavy Rain |
| State | MINNESOTA |
| County/Area | FILLMORE |
| WFO | ARX |
| Begin Date | 08/18/2007 22:30:00 CST-6 |
| Begin Range | 0 |
| Begin Azimuth | N |
| Begin Location | RUSHFORD |
| Begin Lat/Lon | 43.82/-91.77 |
| End Date | 08/19/2007 06:00:00 CST-6 |
| Deaths Direct/Indirect | 0/0 (fatality details below, when available...) |
| Injuries Direct/Indirect | 0/0 |
| Property Damage | 38.00M |
| Crop Damage | 390.00K |
| Episode Narrative | A warm front lifting northward into Iowa triggered round after round of thunderstorms with excessive rainfall across southeast Minnesota during the evening and overnight hours of August 18-19. This was after rain had fallen earlier in the day. Total rainfall amounts of 10 to 15 inches were common, which produced widespread and significant flash flooding. An official rainfall total of 15.1 inches near Hokah (Houston County) established an all-time 24 hour rainfall record for the state of Minnesota. Other rainfall totals, which were unofficial readings, included 17.00 and 14.00 inches respectively in Witoka and Utica (Winona County). Numerous roads and bridges were washed out, houses collapsed due to mudslides and hundreds of homes had flooded basements. Law enforcement and fire department officials reported rescuing people from their vehicles, as well as from house tops. There were seven fatalities reported, five in Winona County and two in Houston County. Damage attributed to the heavy rainfall and subsequent flooding was estimated to be in the millions of dollars. Fillmore, Houston, Olmsted, Wabasha and Winona counties were declared federal disaster areas. |
| Event Narrative | Heavy rain that was centered north of the county caused Rush Creek to flash flood on historic levels. In addition to Rush Creek, every other creek that leads into Rushford had tremendous accumulation that led to flood waters raging into town. The water backed up against the levees normally used to keep flood waters out from the nearby Root River and ended up flooding most of the town, including the entire downtown area. In Rushford specifically, two thirds of the town was under water at some point. About 300 people had to be rescued. 490 of the 766 homes were flooded or had damage (79 were declared structurally unsound). 58 of the 70 businesses in town were damaged impacting nearly 500 of the 600 jobs in town. A total of 4 churches and 40 apartment buildings were also impacted. Damage was widespread across the county, especially the northeast parts. Infrastructure was hit hard with numerous road closures and bridge damage. Numerous mud slides were reported. At least 704 homes applied for FEMA assistance. |
All events for this episode:
| Location | County/Zone | St. | Date | Time | T.Z. | Type | Mag | Dth | Inj | PrD | CrD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Totals: | 7 | 32 | 176.480M | 5.234M | |||||||
| HOKAH | HOUSTON CO. | MN | 08/18/2007 | 06:00 | CST-6 | Heavy Rain | 0 | 0 | 15.00K | 5.00K | |
| DODGE CENTER | DODGE CO. | MN | 08/18/2007 | 17:00 | CST-6 | Flash Flood | 0 | 0 | 100.00K | 30.00K | |
| MONEY CREEK | HOUSTON CO. | MN | 08/18/2007 | 19:22 | CST-6 | Flash Flood | 0 | 0 | 6.000M | 300.00K | |
| ROCHESTER | OLMSTED CO. | MN | 08/18/2007 | 20:15 | CST-6 | Flash Flood | 0 | 0 | 35.000M | 90.00K | |
| HOKAH | HOUSTON CO. | MN | 08/18/2007 | 20:30 | CST-6 | Flash Flood | 0 | 30 | 27.000M | 750.00K | |
| HOUSTON | HOUSTON CO. | MN | 08/18/2007 | 21:00 | CST-6 | Flash Flood | 1 | 0 | 600.00K | 70.00K | |
| LA CRESCENT | HOUSTON CO. | MN | 08/18/2007 | 21:00 | CST-6 | Flash Flood | 1 | 2 | 3.000M | 250.00K | |
| STOCKTON | WINONA CO. | MN | 08/18/2007 | 21:48 | CST-6 | Flash Flood | 0 | 0 | 22.000M | 200.00K | |
| LEWISTON | WINONA CO. | MN | 08/18/2007 | 21:48 | CST-6 | Flash Flood | 0 | 0 | 6.000M | 250.00K | |
| ELBA | WINONA CO. | MN | 08/18/2007 | 22:00 | CST-6 | Flood | 0 | 0 | 60.00K | 25.00K | |
| EYOTA | OLMSTED CO. | MN | 08/18/2007 | 22:12 | CST-6 | Flash Flood | 0 | 0 | 9.600M | 7.00K | |
| LEWISTON | WINONA CO. | MN | 08/18/2007 | 22:25 | CST-6 | Flash Flood | 5 | 0 | 300.00K | 125.00K | |
| RUSHFORD | FILLMORE CO. | MN | 08/18/2007 | 22:30 | CST-6 | Flash Flood | 0 | 0 | 38.000M | 390.00K | |
| WINONA | WINONA CO. | MN | 08/18/2007 | 22:35 | CST-6 | Flash Flood | 0 | 0 | 12.000M | 450.00K | |
| ELGIN | WABASHA CO. | MN | 08/18/2007 | 23:15 | CST-6 | Flash Flood | 0 | 0 | 1.200M | 12.00K | |
| ROCHESTER | OLMSTED CO. | MN | 08/19/2007 | 00:00 | CST-6 | Flood | 0 | 0 | 20.00K | 10.00K | |
| KASSON | DODGE CO. | MN | 08/19/2007 | 00:30 | CST-6 | Flash Flood | 0 | 0 | 30.00K | 5.00K | |
| HOUSTON | HOUSTON CO. | MN | 08/19/2007 | 02:00 | CST-6 | Flood | 0 | 0 | 750.00K | 500.00K | |
| ELGIN | WABASHA CO. | MN | 08/19/2007 | 02:25 | CST-6 | Flash Flood | 0 | 0 | 400.00K | 30.00K | |
| DODGE CENTER | DODGE CO. | MN | 08/19/2007 | 06:00 | CST-6 | Flood | 0 | 0 | 600.00K | 55.00K | |
| WINONA | WINONA CO. | MN | 08/19/2007 | 06:00 | CST-6 | Flood | 0 | 0 | 1.500M | 250.00K | |
| ADAMS | MOWER CO. | MN | 08/19/2007 | 06:00 | CST-6 | Flood | 0 | 0 | 20.00K | 10.00K | |
| HOUSTON | HOUSTON CO. | MN | 08/19/2007 | 06:00 | CST-6 | Flood | 0 | 0 | 1.000M | 500.00K | |
| RUSHFORD | FILLMORE CO. | MN | 08/19/2007 | 06:00 | CST-6 | Flood | 0 | 0 | 11.000M | 750.00K | |
| ROCHESTER | OLMSTED CO. | MN | 08/19/2007 | 06:00 | CST-6 | Flood | 0 | 0 | 20.00K | 10.00K | |
| ZUMBRO FALLS | WABASHA CO. | MN | 08/19/2007 | 06:00 | CST-6 | Flood | 0 | 0 | 250.00K | 150.00K | |
| ZUMBRO FALLS | WABASHA CO. | MN | 08/19/2007 | 11:00 | CST-6 | Flood | 0 | 0 | 15.00K | 10.00K | |
| Totals: | 7 | 32 | 176.480M | 5.234M |
