PROJECT ALERT NOTICE (MN) Flooding in Minnesota continues

Date: Mon, 17 Apr 2023 16:53:01 EDT

Summary: Flooding continues across Minnesota due to melting of near record snowpack.

Rivers continue to rise including in Minnesota, including the Red River of the North, Rainy, St Croix, Minnesota, Mississippi. Peaks on these mainstem rivers are forecast to start in the next few days and continue into the following week(s).

Currently 32 gages report water levels above NWS flood stage; with 11 above moderate flood stage and 2 above major flood stage. NWS forecasts at least 5 will peak above major flood stage in the current forecast period. Communities along many rivers have been preparing for snowmelt floods for several weeks.

All gages are currently operating and telemetering. Today 12 streamgaging staff from Minnesota are in the field across the state. Activities include making discharge measurements and repairing gages. Office staff have supported field efforts, communicated with other agencies including the NWS & USACE via NWSChat, responded to emails and phone calls, and extended two stage-discharge ratings. Most peaks to date have relatively normal, with estimated Annual Exceedance Probabilities of 0.1 - 0.25. However station 05291000 Whetstone River at Big Stone City, SD peak had an AEP <0.01.

News media have posted USGS time lapse videos ice going out and rivers rising at
Minneapolis Star Tribune https://video.startribune.com/watch-rivers-rise-rapidly-across-minnesota/600267080/
and Minnesota Public Radio https://www.mprnews.org/story/2023/04/12/river-levels-flooding-forecasts-minnesota-map

Up to an inch of rain is forecast for eastern Minnesota this week.

A news release is not planned.