Elba News

State parks in southeastern Minnesota had some washed-out trails and other damage from the latest round of floods, but it was minor compared with the destruction caused by last August's floods.

A major exhibit of the Luxembourg heritage in America, including several southeastern towns, could be a template for teaching about more heritages in and around Winona County.

Ahh, the regular trout-fishing opener, a time to celebrate spring and the joys of fishing with friends in a clear stream -- or at least that is how most people dream of it. via Post-Bulletin

“We're hoping that the Army Corps of Engineers comes in and fixes the dike, raises it up and stabilizes the town and lets people rebuild”

It's a small town that was devastated in the August floods. When the floodwaters moved out, so did a handful of families in Elba, Minnesota, leaving some to fear the town might disappear altogether. via KAAL-TV Austin

“We'll be open, no doubt about that. We just don't know what we'll have for business”

Winona Daily News - Winona,MN,USA Mark Thoreson wants to make one thing clear: The flood didn't put Lazy D's Campground out of business. via RVbasics.com News

“If you have a lot of people convinced everything is closed, ... that's going to be hard on us”

ELBA, Minn. - Mark Thoreson wants to make one thing clear: The flood didn't put Lazy D's Campground out of business. via Winona Daily News

Tiny trout and salmon are swimming in the Crystal Springs Hatchery near Elba, another sign that southeastern Minnesota is recovering from the disastrous summer floods.

In August, the Whitewater River flooded the Department of Natural Resources hatchery and days later, no one was sure any of the brood stock or tiny fingerlings survived.

But when the DNR's workers scraped away the mud and looked for the fish, it found the damage was not as bad as first feared.

"We are fully open and everything has been reclaimed and recovered," said John Huber, supervisor of the DNR's hatchery system. One rearing pond still needs to be cleaned out. Read more

“When you do the buyout, you

re killing the town. But what can you do?”

Elba never was very big, but the flooding that wracked southeastern Minnesota last August has some people here concerned that the town could simply disappear.

Mayor Donny Ball fears that people moving away from flood-damaged homes on the city's central road could be the end of Elba. The town is seeking federal funds to repair dikes, improve stormwater drainage and fix damaged bridges.

Federal authorities may buy out up to 14 of roughly 35 homes in the city, which has a little more than 200 people, Ball said. Read more

“When you do the buyout, you're killing the town. But what can you do?”

Donny Ball doesn't want to let the government buy out his flooded home on Main Street of this small community, though he may have little choice. via Winona Daily News

“Merry Christmas in September thanks to volunteers.”

A month ago the lives of many residents of Southeast Minnesota were forever changed as flash flooding devastated much of the region. via Winona Daily News