Flooding preparations have begun in Minnesota as warm temperatures have all but melted the last remaining deposits of snow. Now, the Army Corp Engineers have been tapped in to help keep The National Weather Service up to date with current data.
Patrick Moes, the Deputy Public Affairs Chief with the Army Corp Engineers in St. Paul, joined News Talk 830 WCCO’s Vineeta Sawkar to discuss what they are seeing as winter enters our rearview mirror.
“Really, we’re looking for the amount of snowpack still within the upper part of the state. Some of the other areas we’re observing are river conditions, you know, how quickly are the rivers and lakes coming up and whether or not there is still ice conditions in some of those lakes.”
Moes says the Army Corp Engineers have numerous reservoirs that they utilize this time of year to ensure communities are not put at risk of severe flooding.
Another role the Army Corp Engineers have during this time of the year is keeping their partners, including The National Weather Service, up to date with data to make the most accurate flood predictions.
While the state had a near-record year for snowfall, Moes says we are “kind of lucky” because the frost depth this year wasn’t as deep as in years past, and the drought conditions going into the winter will play a role in reducing flooding.
When looking at potential flooding, Moes says where you are in the state will play a major role in the severity residents see, as northern Minnesota could see more flooding than those in the southern part of the state.
Overall, Moes says we have seen a more unusual winter season in regards to when the snow fell and how it’s melting.
“This is a historic year with respect to having this much snow this late in the season. I can only think of a few years in the past 50 years where we’ve had this kind of snowpack still in April,” he said.
To be best prepared for potential flooding, the Minnesota Department of Commerce is encouraging Minnesotans to check their homeowners’ or renters’ to ensure their insurance covers water damage.
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