A clogged ditch had homeowners in a bit of a pickle last weekend as Sunday’s rapid snowmelt and Monday’s rains sent water out of channels and into backyards.
Albertville City Administrator Adam Nafstad the culprit was snowpack in a ditch along Wright County Highway 119 between Albertville and St. Michael. As the water moved, it began to spill out of the ditch around the jammed culvert and into low-lying yards.
Back hoes from Meine’s Diggers, St. Michael, clear a ditch between Albertville and St. Michael where snow had caused issues with overland flooding. (Courtesy City of Albertville, Adam Nafstad)
“It inundated the ditch upstream, as well as, ponds and wetlands. The high water and its cause were noticed early Monday morning. It took about two days and one night for the backhoes to get the ditch open and flowing. Snow pack and ice needed to be removed from about ½ mile of ditch,” Nafstad said. “Water elevations have dropped significantly over the last 24 hours and continue to descend.”
St. Michael Public Works and Meiny’s Diggers assisted Albertville city staff with the issue before any permanent property damage was done.
As for the future moisture that’s bound to come Thursday night and Friday–the National Weather Service is now predicting a 100 percent chance of heavy snowfall–Naftstad feels the situation should be cleared.
“City (staff) is monitoring ditch levels and does not expect that forecasted snow will create major problems,” he stated.