Portions of a state park that was seriously damaged by flooding last summer in southeastern Minnesota are being restored and soon will be open, the state Department of Natural Resources said today.
The flooding last August in Whitewater State Park caused more than $4 million in damage to its roads, bridges, campgrounds, group camps, picnic areas, trails and stream crossings.
Restoration work will continue throughout the summer, the DNR said.
"It's taken a lot of hard work by a lot people to get to this point, and we are excited that parts of this popular park are about to available to visitors," Garry Barvels, Whitewater State Park manager, said in a news release. "We are making steady progress with the recovery efforts but still have a ways to go before our renovated park is ready for our Grand Reopening Celebration on June 7."
The 2,700-acre park attracts nearly 300,000 visitors every year, making it the second most popular camping destination in the state park system.
For more information, call the park at 1-507-932-3007.
PAUL WALSH
