4/7/2011 The initial surge of water presented last week began to recede for a few days. But now that the snowpack in the northern part of the state is melting, we are experiencing a second crest.
In St. Paul currently, the river is a 17.69 feet and running at 92 cubic feet per second (cfs). It is expected to crest on 4/12 at 18.4 feet and approximately 98 cfs. Flood stage is 14 ft.
In the Hastings area, the river is at 16.8 feet and running at 101,000 cfs. It is expected to crest at 19.2 feet and 172,000 cfs on 4/14. Flood stage is 15 feet.
At McGregor, Iowa, near Effigy Mounds National Monument the river is at 17' and 150,000 cfs. It is expected to crest on 4/14 at 19.2 ft. and 172,000 cfs. Flood stage is 16 ft.
Further downstream, specifically at St.Louis, MO and Baton Rouge, LA the river is not expected to rise appreciably in the near future. But is it moving alot of water. On 4/6 at St. Louis the Mississippi carrying 362,000 cubic feet of water per second. And it Baton Rouge on that date, it was carrying 1,036,000 cfs.
3/31/2011 Much of the snow in southern and western Minnesota has melted and that pulse of free-flowing water has made for some high water levels along the Mississippi.
In St. Paul, the water level at the High Bridge peaked during the early hours of Wednesday at 19 feet (flood stage is 14 feet). The volume of water passing the bridge was its highest at 103,000 cubic feet per second on Wednesday evening. Barring any large rain events, the water level and volume of water will be decreasing over the next few days.
Downstream near Hastings, MN and Prescott, WI, peak flows are expected to recede beginning April 1 from a high of 17.4 feet (flood stage is 15 feet). The flow at the USGS river gage at Prescott was about 104,000 cubic feet per second (cfs).
Meanwhile, further downstream, staff at Effigy Mounds National Monument report that the Mississippi is high but expected to recede in the next couple of days. On Thursday afternoon, 3/31/11, the river was at 16.2 ft., 16 feet being flood stage and was flowing at 117,000 cfs. In St. Louis, Missouri, at the Jefferson National Memorial Arch, NPS staff don't expect significant flooding. On Thurs, the water level was at 21.5 feet and it is expected to rise to 23 feet by Monday, 4/1/2011. Flood stage there is at 30 feet. The flow rate of the Mississippi at St. Louis was about 350,000 cfs.
This discussion of flooding is really a function of the amount of flowing water in relation to a river's bank. From that point of view, even if it doesn't overflow it's banks, the Mississippi is roaring it's way to the Gulf of Mexico. On Thursday about 102,000 cubic feet per second were passing St. Paul's High Bridge. By the time the Mississippi River reaches Baton Rouge, La, it is carrying 1,048,000 cubic feet of water per second.
For more information:
- The City of St. Paul provides up to date water levels and a webcam of the St.Paul waterfront
- The Science Museum of Minnesota has assembled a webcam and some excellent background information about previous floods in St. Paul.
- The US Geological Service has water gages installed in rivers and lakes throughout the country. Real-time data on specific river streches can be found here.
- The National Weather Service provides a predictive graph of water levels as well as information on historical crests and information about flood impacts.
