What the spring snow means for the floodwaters | FOX 9 Minneapolis-St. Paul

What the spring snow means for the floodwaters

Before the spring snow hit, a lot of cities, including St. Paul, were dealing with flooding concerns. Now, residents throughout the state are left wondering what this accumulation will mean for them.

“With this storm, we are reminded that April is a volatile month in Minnesota in that the weather can change fast,” said Rick Schute of St. Paul Emergency Management.

Just when nearly all the snow had melted and the floodwaters that melt created had started receding, Mother Nature threw a curveball with a spring snowstorm.

“And we’ve got quite a ways to go before we’re out of the woods relative to flooding on the Mississippi and other rivers,” said Schute.

Since the Mississippi River crested 11 days ago, the river has dropped 3.5 feet. So much so, Harriet Island, which was underwater, is not at all anymore. The water level though, hasn’t dropped enough to reopen all the closed roads and parks.

The river is expected drop another two feet over the next week before it comes back up again for a second crest that this storm will create. The water level will likely top out about where it is now.

“Right now we’re at 15.5 feet on the Robert Street bridge for the Mississippi River and that’s what the crest is expected to see maybe 15 feet, so very similar to what we’re seeing right now,” said Schute.

It will be a similar situation for the Minnesota River where the water rose quickly three weeks ago and also crested about 11 days ago. The hydrologist at the National Weather Service in Chanhassen told FOX 9 some spots may get back to minor and moderate flood stages next week, but nothing like what it was.

Experts say in Stillwater, the St. Croix River will likely be less affected. It might rise a bit, but more likely its decline will just slow down.

For all, it means flood barriers will stay up a few weeks longer than planned.