High water all summer- The New Normal

Cannon River today at 8.7 feet. Normal conditions in August would be 3 feet

It wasn't all that many years ago that one could expect local rivers in Goodhue County to return to normal flows after the spring high waters. Here we are on the 23rd of August and the Cannon and Mississippi Rivers are running below flood stage. In recent years, this has been quite common most of the summer.

High water warnings posted near the public access for the Cannon River near Highway 61

Granted we have had above normal rainfall this summer, but with climate change and thousands of miles of drain tile installed in the agricultural lands of the Minnesota and Cannon River watersheds, the outlook for future summer river conditions is looking pretty grim.

Mississippi River near the top of the wall at Levee Park. River level is near 8 feet. 5 feet above normal for this time in August

Presbyterian Point at the Head of Lake Pepin. The point is now under water.

Purple Loosestrife and Goldenrod in full bloom at the edge of a cattail swamp. Purple loosestrife was introduced into the east coast from Europe and Asia in the 1800's. Some was brought is as a plant that attracted bees for the production of honey.