Spring 2024 Monitoring

On Thursday, June 20, 2024, the summer solstice, it was lightly sprinkling, and more rain was forecast—a rainy end to an already wet spring.

Capitol Region Watershed District’s (CRWD’s) spring monitoring period is March 21 to June 20, from the spring equinox to the summer solstice. In 2023, the spring precipitation (rain) total was 5.91 inches, and the period ended with Saint Paul in a moderate drought for the third year in a row. The same period in 2024 had 13.96 inches of rain, which helped bring the region and the rest of Minnesota out of a drought. You can read more about last year’s data in our 2023 Climatological Summary PDF.

A line graph titled "CRWD Annual Spring Rainfall Totals" showing the fluctuating inches of rainfall from 2019 to 2024. 2019 and 2020 are around 10 inches with dips in 2021 and 2023 to 9 inches and 6 inches respectively, and a significant rise in 2024 to nearly 14 inches.

Crosby Lake in Crosby Farm Regional Park along the Mississippi River floodplain illustrates the differences. During the drought in 2021-2023, lake levels were frequently so low that staff could not read a level at the monitoring gauge. Crosby Lake levels were so high this spring that water was up and over the path along the lakeshore. Ponds in CRWD, like Victoria Park Pond, that were dry in 2023 are back to ‘normal’ or high levels in June 2024.

2024 is the wettest spring since 2019, and monitoring staff are busy collecting stormwater samples and recording pond and lake levels in several areas. These samples and recordings help collect data on critical water quantity and quality measures affecting our lakes and the Mississippi River. The data allows us to track the impacts of stormwater improvement projects and to understand long-term changes in The District.

The summer monitoring period of June 21 – September 20 is now underway and already off to a rainy start. We’ll see what the summer brings as CRWD collects more samples to continue monitoring stormwater.

References 

Check out the links below for more information on Minnesota’s climate and how you can help keep our lakes and rivers clean.

Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) – Drought in Minnesota

DNR Climate Journal – A Wet and Warm Spring 2024 in Minnesota

Community Collaborative Rain, Hail and Snow Network (CoCoRaHS) Interactive Map for detailed rain totals from volunteers across the state

Help keep our lakes and rivers clean with Minnesota Adopt-a-Drain

City of Saint Paul Flood Information

Saint Paul Parks and Recreation Special Notices and Closures – June 25, 2024 Update: Crosby Farm Regional Park is temporarily closed due to flooding, along with other parks

A person wearing waders and a life vest stands in waist-high water next to a level gauge in a lake covered with lily pads and algae under a cloudy sky.
Monitoring staff at Crosby Lake in June 2024.
A paved pathway surrounded by lush greenery next to Crosby Lake is flooded from the high lake level.
Flooded pathway at Crosby Lake in June 2024.
A person wearing waders and a life vest standing in shin-deep water in Crosby Lake next to a level gauge with lines and numbers to measure the lake’s water level on a post.
Monitoring staff at Crosby Lake in April 2023. Drought conditions persisted for a third year in a row.
A lake level gauge on a post is surrounded by mud at the edge of Crosby Lake. A backdrop of dense trees along the shoreline displays vibrant fall foliage reflected in the tranquil lake.
The level gauge at Crosby Lake is dry in October 2022. The wet spring of 2022 was followed by drought for a second year.
Crosby Lake is covered with green lily pads with a lake level gauge showing low water levels along a muddy shore. In the background, dense trees line the far shore under a clear blue sky.
Low water levels at Crosby Lake in July 2021. According to the DNR, the 2021 drought was the most severe in Minnesota since at least 1988.
Muddy ground of a dried wetland pond showing tracks from waterfowl and other wildlife surrounded by lush green grasses on the sides.
Victoria Park Pond was dry in August 2023.

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