Tempers flare in New Richland as residents air frustrations over repeated flooding
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The floodwaters that filled the small southern Minnesota town of New Richland continued to recede Thursday, but as residents worked to clean up and discard flood-damaged belongings, they expressed anger and frustration that their city repeatedly floods and that very little has apparently been done to prevent it.
City Administrator Tyler Lendt held a news conference Thursday to provide an update on flood damage in the community and clean-up and recovery efforts. He said that about 80 percent of homes in the city of 1,200 residents received at least some water and that some of the flood damage is severe.
“We’re expecting at this moment probably 10 to 12 homes in New Richland will probably be declared a total loss,” Lendt said, adding that damage assessments are continuing and that number could rise.
Lendt said the nursing home in town, the New Richland Care Center, suffered significant damage, as floodwaters rose about four feet high inside the facility.
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“The entire laundry facility there is a total loss. The electric system, like the the large breaker panels that they have there, they're going to be a total loss,” Lendt said, adding most of the flooring and many of the walls will need to be replaced. “There's a lot of work to do, and we're hoping [in] six to 12 months we can have it reopened.”
Near the end of his briefing, some residents began speaking out and airing their frustrations over the repeated flooding in town.
“I’ve lived here since 1991,” said resident Greg Matz. He and others pointed out that New Richland has experienced severe flooding multiple times, including in 2010, 2016 and 2024.
“That's a long time this problem has existed,” Matz continued. “There has to be some solution. To be honest, that’s ridiculous that it hasn’t been addressed.”
Storms dumped about nine inches of rain in and around New Richland Friday night and into Saturday morning. Lendt told MPR News earlier this week the city is essentially sitting in the bottom of a bowl, surrounded by rolling hills; and a couple of drainage ditches converge in the community, causing severe flooding during heavy rains.
Lendt said pockets of standing water remain in low-lying areas of the community and some basements are still full of water.
“What that means is our soil is saturated and water is still forcing its way into basements,” Lendt said. “Because of that pressure, it’s not necessarily a good idea to pump those basements out, because that has the potential for collapsing the basement.”
Earlier in the briefing, Lendt thanked residents for their “patience, resilience and compassion for one another.”
“Even while dealing with your own challenges, you’ve stepped up to help your neighbors and support this community,” he said.
Francis Talbert, 43, lives on the third floor of an apartment building and lost almost all of his belongings in his garage.
“We lost a lot of books, clothing, some childhood memories, some dishes that were broke because of moving water and moving up against metal objects, a couch, chairs and some camping stuff.”
He said some of his neighbors on the first floor left because their apartments are currently uninhabitable. Talbert said the ordeal has been a lot.
“I'm just going one day at a time,” Talbert said. “It leaves a scar on you, mentally, physically. But thank God, nobody died in this flood.”
Lendt praised the support and assistance from neighboring communities and state officials, although some residents complained that Gov. Tim Walz, who represented the city as a member of Congress, has not visited New Richland to survey the damage. Walz’s office said state officials are on the ground there now.
“The Minnesota Department of Public Safety’s Homeland Security and Emergency Management team remains in close coordination with local emergency management officials to assist with response and immediate recovery needs,” Walz’s office said in a statement. “HSEM is also working to conduct Preliminary Damage Assessments to determine what recovery resources may be available long term.”
Lendt also acknowledged the tremendous number of donations the community has received. “Support has poured in from so many areas near and far, and it is honestly overwhelming in the best possible way,” he said.
The city administrator also got emotional during the news conference.
“In the midst of all of this…” Lendt said, then he paused as he choked up and held back tears. “Amidst all of this, life if still moving forward in New Richland. This week is homecoming, and I think there’s something meaningful about that. We may be facing challenges, but we are still showing up for one another and still celebrating what makes our town special.”
New Richland’s homecoming parade and football game will go on as scheduled Friday, Lendt said.
