First I have to say that it is wonderful to see water in the Mississippi River again. There has always been water in it but water levels have been low these past few years due to drought.
Right now the river is at flood stage. I live close by and have been watching it. The river rises very quickly as the snow melts. It is supposed to crest in St. Paul on April 27th or 28th at about 18.5 feet. That is about half a six inches higher than the floods of 2010 and 18 inches lower than the floods of 14 and 19.
In the spring of 2014, the river crested at more than 20 feet in downtown St. Paul. That is almost to the top of the marker in the picture.
You can see the marker in the background.
Here is a picture from March 2019. The day the Mississippi River crested at close to 20 feet. Shepard/warner road was closed and underwater. You can see the historic Robert Street bridge in the background. This is one of my favorite flood pictures.
If you decide to look at the river up close and personal please stay out of the water. The current is very strong and the river is still rising quickly.
A small child like the one I saw yesterday who was allowed to touch the water could easily be swept away.
The Mississippi River is used for shipping and is a source of drinking water.
