Due to a very wet fall, and a deep snow pack by mid March, when temperatures began to rise and melt the snow, area streams, creeks and eventually rivers rose to minor, moderate, and major stage levels.
During the onset of the snow melt, area streams, creeks and rivers had numerous ice jams that caused flooding across many areas in southern Minnesota. Road closures due to creeks and streams developed as early as Monday March 21st, and quickly spread across a large portion of southern Minnesota. By March 23rd, several areas along the Minnesota River between the southwestern suburbs of the Twin Cities, to Mankato started to close. This included Highways 93 and 19 near Henderson, and Scott County Road 9 near Jordan. In addition, Lac Qui Parle, Yellow Medicine, Brown, Watonwan, Blue Earth, Sibley, Scott and McLeod Counties had several county roads closed or impassable by Wednesday March 23rd.
A large storm system on March 22nd and 23rd dropped on average one half to 1.50 inches of liquid precipitation across the area. However, as much colder air began to move south on the 23rd, all of the precipitation switched over to snow.
By Wednesday, March 23rd, major river crossings in the Twin Cities began to close due to the flood waters; this included Highway 41 near Chaska and Highway 101 near Shakopee. In addition, more county roads started to close across southern Minnesota, and Highway 65 in Albert Lea shut down.
The last week of March, most of the Minnesota River and its tributaries had their first crests. However, a cold spell the last week of March, caused the rivers to fall or hold steady as the runoff from the snow melt abated.
Although ice jams were reported across the area, one ice jam on the Seven Mile Creek near St. Peter resulted in a fatality on March 22 when a MNDOT worker tried to clear the ice jam and his Backhoe tipped over and fell into the area where Seven Mile Creek flows into the Minnesota River.

Flood in BLUE EARTH, MINNESOTA
From 21-MAR-11 21:00:00 to 31-MAR-11 18:00:00 (CST-6)
Location: MINNESOTA LAKE
Flood cause: Heavy Rain / Snow Melt
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Department of Highways

Several county roads were flooded due to Spring snow melt and rainfall across the area through late March.

Flood in CARVER, MINNESOTA
From 23-MAR-11 18:00:00 to 31-MAR-11 18:00:00 (CST-6)
Location: NEW GERMANY
Flood cause: Heavy Rain / Snow Melt
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Department of Highways

Several county roads and U.S. Highways along the Crow River were impassable due to Spring snow melt and the associated runoff that continued through the end of March.

Flood in NICOLLET, MINNESOTA
From 21-MAR-11 18:00:00 to 31-MAR-11 18:00:00 (CST-6)
Location: NORTH STAR
Flood cause: Heavy Rain / Snow Melt
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Department of Highways

Several highways and county roads from North Mankato, northward along the Minnesota River to Le Sueur, Minnesota were impassable due to Spring flooding. Some of the major routes included 169, 22, and 93 and 99.  There was one fatality on March 22 when a MNDOT worker tried to clear an ice jam and his Backhoe tipped over and fell into the area where Seven Mile Creek flows into the Minnesota River.

Flood in BROWN, MINNESOTA
From 21-MAR-11 21:00:00 to 31-MAR-11 18:00:00 (CST-6)
Location: SEARLES
Flood cause: Heavy Rain / Snow Melt
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Department of Highways

Several county roads became impassable due to Spring snow melt and rainfall that continued through the end of the month.

Flood in SIBLEY, MINNESOTA
From 21-MAR-11 18:00:00 to 31-MAR-11 18:00:00 (CST-6)
Location: GREEN ISLE
Flood cause: Heavy Rain / Snow Melt
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Department of Highways

Several county roads along the Minnesota River from Henderson, north to the Carver County border were impassable due to Spring snow melt and the associated runoff that continued through the end of March.

Flood in WATONWAN, MINNESOTA
From 23-MAR-11 18:00:00 to 31-MAR-11 18:00:00 (CST-6)
Location: LEWISVILLE
Flood cause: Heavy Rain / Snow Melt
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Department of Highways

Several county roads became impassable due to Spring snow melt and rainfall that lasted through the end of March.

Flood in REDWOOD, MINNESOTA
From 25-MAR-11 18:00:00 to 31-MAR-11 18:00:00 (CST-6)
Location: DELHI
Flood cause: Heavy Rain / Burn Area
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Department of Highways

Several county roads and U.S. Highways became impassable due to Spring snow melt and the associated runoff that continued through the end of the month. The worst areas were along the Redwood and Cottonwood Rivers, and their tributaries.

Flood in FARIBAULT, MINNESOTA
From 23-MAR-11 18:00:00 to 27-MAR-11 18:00:00 (CST-6)
Location: BLUE EARTH
Flood cause: Heavy Rain / Snow Melt
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Department of Highways

Several county roads became impassable due to Spring snow melt and rainfall around the Blue Earth River.

Flood in RENVILLE, MINNESOTA
From 25-MAR-11 18:00:00 to 31-MAR-11 18:00:00 (CST-6)
Location: RENVILLE ARPT
Flood cause: Heavy Rain / Snow Melt
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Department of Highways

Several county roads were impassable due to Spring snow melt and the associated runoff.  There was a mud slide along Highway 19, due to the saturated soil and caused the road to be temporary closed.

Flood in LE SUEUR, MINNESOTA
From 21-MAR-11 18:00:00 to 31-MAR-11 18:00:00 (CST-6)
Location: HENDERSON STATION
Flood cause: Heavy Rain / Snow Melt
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Department of Highways

Several state and county roads along the Minnesota River closed due to Spring flooding.  Some of the major routes included Highways 169, 99 and 22 from Kasota, north to town of Le Sueur, Minnesota.

Flood in FREEBORN, MINNESOTA
From 23-MAR-11 18:00:00 to 27-MAR-11 18:00:00 (CST-6)
Location: ALBERT LEA
Flood cause: Heavy Rain / Snow Melt
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Department of Highways

U.S. Highway 65 in Albert Lea was closed for a part of March due to Spring snow melt and the runoff associated with it.

Flood in CHIPPEWA, MINNESOTA
From 23-MAR-11 18:00:00 to 31-MAR-11 18:00:00 (CST-6)
Location: MONTEVIDEO
Flood cause: Heavy Rain / Snow Melt
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: County Official

Several county roads and highways were closed due to Spring melting along the Minnesota River, and some of its tributaries from Milan, to Montevideo to around Granite Falls, Minnesota. One of the major routes that was closed partially was Highway 7.

Flood in SIBLEY, MINNESOTA
From 20-MAR-11 22:00:00 to 22-MAR-11 22:00:00 (CST-6)
Location: HENDERSON
Flood cause: Ice Jam
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Emergency Manager

An ice jam caused the Minnesota River to back up along the Highway 19 bridge and flood the roadway east of Henderson. Eventually, State Highway 93, south of Henderson was closed due to the Rush River backing up due to another ice jam.

Flood in WASECA, MINNESOTA
From 25-MAR-11 18:00:00 to 31-MAR-11 18:00:00 (CST-6)
Location: ST MARY
Flood cause: Heavy Rain / Snow Melt
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Department of Highways

Several county roads along the Le Sueur River became impassable due to Spring snow melt and the associated runoff through late March.

Flood in LAC QUI PARLE, MINNESOTA
From 21-MAR-11 18:00:00 to 31-MAR-11 18:00:00 (CST-6)
Location: MARIETTA
Flood cause: Heavy Rain / Snow Melt
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Department of Highways

Several highways, and county roads were closed for a long period due to Spring snow melt along the Minnesota River, and several of its tributaries. Some of the major roads that were closed in Lac Qui Parle County includes 212, 75 and 40.

Flood in SCOTT, MINNESOTA
From 21-MAR-11 21:00:00 to 31-MAR-11 18:00:00 (CST-6)
Location: ST PATRICK
Flood cause: Heavy Rain / Snow Melt
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Department of Highways

Several county roads across southern Scott County were impassible due to melting snow and runoff.

Flood in RICE, MINNESOTA
From 23-MAR-11 18:00:00 to 31-MAR-11 18:00:00 (CST-6)
Location: BRIDGEWATER
Flood cause: Heavy Rain / Snow Melt
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Department of Highways

Several county roads became impassable along the Straight River due to Spring snow melt, and the associated runoff that continued through the end of March.

Flood in YELLOW MEDICINE, MINNESOTA
From 21-MAR-11 18:00:00 to 31-MAR-11 18:00:00 (CST-6)
Location: SPRING CREEK
Flood cause: Heavy Rain / Snow Melt
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Department of Highways

Several highways and county roads were closed due to Spring snow melt and associated flooding along the Minnesota and Yellow Medicine Rivers. Some of the main roads that were closed due to the flooding were Highways 59 and 23.

Flood in MCLEOD, MINNESOTA
From 23-MAR-11 18:00:00 to 31-MAR-11 18:00:00 (CST-6)
Location: BROWNTON
Flood cause: Heavy Rain / Snow Melt
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Department of Highways

Several state highways, and county roads became impassable due to Spring snow melt and the associated runoff through the end of March. Areas along the Buffalo and South Fork of the Crow River were the hardest hit with road closures.