Published in Midwest Flyer Magazine June/July 2023 Digital Issue
A MAC crew installs a section of the temporary flood wall at St. Paul Downtown Airport on April 13, 2023.
Metropolitan Airports Commission Photo
ST. PAUL, MINN. – The Metropolitan Airports Commission (MAC) temporarily ceased aircraft operations April 11, 2023, at St. Paul Downtown Airport (STP) while crews installed flood control measures due to rising water levels on the Mississippi River. The river borders the airport and was expected to reach major flood stage by April 12, rising above 18 feet by the end of the week.
The MAC, which owns and operates the airport, and five other reliever airports in addition to Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP), mobilized crews to install a portion of its two-thirds mile metal plank floodwall system along the east end of the airfield, which led to the closure of runways 9/27 and 13/31. These secondary runways remained closed until the temporary floodwall was removed.
STP’s primary runway, 14/32, was temporarily closed on April 11 to allow crews to extend the floodwall across the south end of the airfield. This shortened the runway – which is normally 6,491 feet – by 1,150 feet. Crews restriped the runway’s operational markings during the closure and reopened it by 8:00 p.m.
The wall can be raised to a maximum height of 8.5 feet if needed. This is the seventh deployment of the system since it was developed in 2008.
STP’s terminal building and airport services remained open during the installation of the flood wall.
St. Paul Downtown Airport is an important aviation hub, serving as a base for more than 90 aircraft. In 2022, the airport handled 41,592 takeoffs and landings.
The Metropolitan Airports Commission’s airports connect the region to the world and showcase Minnesota’s extraordinary culture to millions of passengers from around the globe who arrive or depart through MAC airports each year. Though a public corporation of the State of Minnesota, the MAC is not funded by income or property taxes. Instead, its operations are funded by rents and fees generated by users of its airports. For more information, visit www.metroairports.org.
