Water leveling in Stearns County

Stearns County residents no longer have to fear rising water levels. The Mississippi River went up a little last Thursday afternoon, but has since crested. The Sauk River is down at least three inches from Richmond to Sauk Centre. In St. Cloud, the Sauk River continues to rise slowly. Its current level is seven feet nine inches, up around three inches since Thursday, April 12. Emergency Management Director, Marvin Klug says that the Sauk could rise more today (April 13), but not more than two inches.

Water around the Chain of Lakes is also starting to recede. Highway 22 in Richmond opened April 13, but motorists will still come across some standing water. Fifth Avenue in St. Cloud does remain closed.

Environmental Services Direc-tor, Don Adams, says residents now need to take precautions when it comes to their wells and septic systems. Wells that were submerged in water could be contaminated and citizens should no longer drink the water. Adams says it could take two to three weeks before the water is again suitable for drinking. Anyone who is concerned about their well water should contact the Environmental Services Office for a $20 water testing kit. The kit will test for coliform and bacteria. If a septic system has been flooded, residents need to stop using it. Because the ground is so saturated, the sewage has nowhere to go and could back up into the basement or could get into the floodwater and seep into the well.

The Stearns County Emergency Management Office will keep the Flood Information Hotline open through Saturday if residents are looking for assistance or information. That number is (877) 535-6625. For those people looking for information on water levels for the Sauk River, they can call (320) 251-6808. Citizens looking for information on any other river but the Sauk, can log on to .