State park in Duluth set to reopen 4 months after flood damage

A popular state park in Duluth that was closed for four months after devastating floods swept through Northeastern Minnesota is set to reopen Monday. Restrictions will remain in place at Jay Cooke State Park, however, since repairs have yet to be completed after the floods washed away roads, trails and bridges.

Author:: BMTN Staff
Publish date:: Oct 20, 2012

A popular state park in Duluth that was closed for four months after devastating floods is set to reopen Monday, the Duluth News Tribune reported.

Restrictions will remain in place at Jay Cooke State Park, however, since repairs have yet to be completed after the floods swept away roads, trails and bridges.

The floods swept through Northeastern Minnesota in mid-June.

Minnesota lawmakers authorized flood relief at a special session in August, which came in addition to funds provided in July by the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Gov. Mark Dayton lost an appeal with FEMA in August over the agency's denial of individual flood assistance.

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Duluth officials said Friday that about $20 million in damages to parks was caused by the flooding in northeastern Minnesota in June. Damage was caused to roughly two-thirds of the Duluth's 30 parks, and all 14 of the city's trails were damaged. Officials said while repair work is under way at each park, residents can continue to use them with caution.

Jay Cooke State Park was devastated by June flooding that washed away roads, trails and bridges, but the park plans to reopen next week. Park officials have been suffering from "visitor withdrawal," one told the Duluth News Tribune. The park will have diminished services for a while. About 38 of 50 miles of hiking trails are open, and visitors will only be able to access the park from the west.

The disaster declaration for 13 Minnesota counties and three tribal nations devastated by flooding in northeastern Minnesota last month was approved Friday by the federal government. The $108 million in aid only covers damage to public infrastructure.

U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar toured flood-damaged areas of Duluth and other parts of northeastern Minnesota Friday, and after declaring the damage massive assured federal aid would be coming to the area. The federal government contributes more than 75 percent to uninsured public infrastructure when natural disasters cause more than $8 million damage.

MnDot crews are making progress on roadwork surrounding Jay Cooke State Park south of Duluth. The popular tourist attraction was closed for the summer following massive flooding to the region in June. The park could reopen in October.

One of the state officials who accompanied federal inspectors on their tour of flood damage says Minnesota will have no trouble passing the $7.1 million threshold to qualify for aid from FEMA. A state Senator from Duluth says the feds typically cover about three-fourths of the cost of repairs to infrastructure, with state and local governments paying the rest.

After the floods in Duluth, an army of volunteers has stepped in to fill a gap between when emergency workers leave and more long-term help arrives. Race routes have been altered, but the events will go on. Biking and hiking trails are open. And the zoo plans to reopen on Friday with most of the park's 483 animals on display.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency says it will continue assessing damage to private property stemming from the floods in northeast Minnesota last month, and will be here for as long needed. State and federal officials have been in Carlton, St. Louis, Aitkin and Pine counties, as well as on the Fond du Lac Reservation, looking at the damage.