7/3/24 Update
The pumps are running at Athletic Park!
The height of the water got to be 3 ft above the berm. The second picture shows how high the water got to be at the crest compared to the high water level sign. (Notice it covers the line for the 1965 flood!)
The water has dropped about 5 ft from crest, which means the Public Works crew is able to start pumping water out of the park.
It should take about 3 days to empty the park. This is great because it means the field will be under water for less than 14 days. Because of this, we should be able to get most of the grass to come back.
Once the water is out of the park, there is still a lot of work to be done. We will need to wash and disinfect all the areas that were underwater. We will also need to make any necessary repairs and get all of the equipment back in place and operational.
We don't have a timeline for how long this process will take and when the park will reopen. We will update you when we know more.
6/25/24 Update
If you've gone past Athletic Park, you've noticed its filling with water.
With river levels on the rise, we made the decision to let water in to the park. This isn't something we do often, but with the river projected to be near historic levels, it's something that has to be done.
Since river levels are projected to be better than 2' above the berm, we made the decision to let water into the park in a controlled manner by raising the flood gates. This will prevent water from flowing over the top of the berm and therefore protecting it from damage.
The berm around the park is not part of the certified levee that protects Downtown Chaska. The berm was built in 2015 to protect the park from smaller floods. Since then, it has done a great job of keeping the park preserved and playable through at least 15 minor flooding events.
Having the berm has kept water out of the park up to this point; the less time the field is underwater, the better chance we have for a playable field this year. Once the river levels start dropping we will start pumping water back out of the park. We will let you know when we get to that point.
Athletic Park will remain closed until further notice, so please do not go into the park. The park has been cleared of anything of value and protective measures have been put into place to shut down water/sewer and terminate electrical service.