The Mississippi River, bloated by record amounts of rainfall, is at its highest level in some places in nearly 15 years — and the worst may be yet to come. In Minnesota Thursday morning, the river passed the 20-foot mark and was expected to rise until its predicted crest Thursday evening at 20.5 feet, the seventh-highest level on record, according to the Twin Cities Pioneer Press. With nearly 11 inches of rain so far, Minnesota's Twin Cities is having its wettest summer on record.
While forecasters expect the river to start receding later Thursday evening, the Mississippi is expected to remain above normal at "major" flood stage for a week. While no buildings appear to be in immediate danger from the rising waters, Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton has said he will ask President Obama for federal disaster relief. Other parts of the country are inundated too: Flash floods in Arlington, Texas, forced a Six Flags theme park to close, and throughout the Midwest, farmers' crops are under water.