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High Mississippi River levels and run-off from the Brainerd Public Library parking lot have combined to flood secondary football practice areas and grassy recreational areas at Brainerd High Schools’ lower athletic site.
Earl Wolleat, director of buildings and grounds for the Braihnerd School District, said a considerable amount of grass that is now underwater will die and the area will have to be reseeded.
“Right now, we’ve got a lot of land flooded down there,” Wolleat said.
At this point, he said, the football field, the softball field, the baseball field, the main football practice field and the soccer field all have enough elevation so that they’re soggy but above water.
The river levels are so high that they’ve rendered a valve control that sometimes keeps the river water off the field useless, Wolleat said. When the valve is closed as it is now there is no way for runoff water from the library to escape and drain into the river. Wolleat said he wasn’t sure but he thought that the field may also end up receiving other storm water runoff from other areas as well.
“Apparently, the water is so high the valve isn’t even doing any good,” he said.
The flooded, grassy areas are used by physical education classes, Wolleat said.
MIKE O’ROURKE, associate editor, may be reached at 855-5860 or mike.orourke@brainerddispatch.com. He may be followed at www.twitter.com/MikeORourkenews.
