The Mississippi and St. Croix rivers rose only slightly Saturday as flood precautions remained in effect and water levels were monitored.
The Mississippi River was 20.05 feet in Stillwater Saturday afternoon; the greatest flood stage is 17 feet. The river is expected to crest at 20.3 feet in St. Paul at 7 p.m. Saturday, the National Weather Service said.
The St. Croix River was 87.76 feet at Stillwater Saturday afternoon. The river is expected to peak at 88 feet in Stillwater at 7 p.m. Saturday, which is a moderate flood level, the National Weather Service said.
When the Mississippi River reaches 20 feet (6.2 meters) in downtown St. Paul on Saturday evening, the flood will be well within the city’s top 10 historically recorded water levels, but still nearly 6 feet (1.8 meters) below record highs of 1965. Unlike the hardest-hit areas in the state, the immediate impact on the capital has been largely limited to road closures and a handful of canceled events.
Lisa Hiebert, spokesperson for St. Paul Public Works, said most flood precautions are already in place citywide. Notably, as of last Sunday evening, a three-mile stretch of Shepard/Warner Road has been closed, and workers on Sibley and Jackson streets have imposed a “big bag” fee. If updated forecasts predict a river crest between 20 and 20 feet, Public Works may take additional protective measures, she said.
Hiebert noted that the crest is “not a sustained crest” and that the water is forecast to recede in the short term. “Everyone is watching it closely,” Hiebert said. “We’ll really see how it goes on Monday when things start to come back down.”
