St Croix Coming Up

Get the boats ready.

St Croix River pool elevation was at 676.5′ on 16 March and it is 678.5′ today. The depth chart looks like a rocket trail straight up. Here is the link to the Corps of Engineers pool elevation gauge located at the Stillwater Lift Bridge: St Croix River Water Elevation

The warm weather the next few days and some rain is going to bring it up even higher plus we should see the water temp start to climb. It was about 34 degrees today. This may break that river ice and get us on the water soon.

Drive over the stillwater bridge every day and noticed that it went up yesterday, hope they do not get to much rain and have to close the bridge, that adds another 15 miles to my drive.

The Stillwater Gazette had a front page article titled “Flooding Unlikely on St Croix River” on Monday, March 19th. Basically the article said that Stillwater folks shouldn’t have to worry about flooding this spring. It did have some interesting information:

– At 680 feet the river walk in downtown Stillwater is submerged.
– Flood stage is 685 feet, at that level basements along the river may experience flooding.
– At 688 feet the Historic Stillwater Lift Bridge becomes inoperable.
– The 100-year flood level is 693 feet.
– In 2001 the river crested at 692.3 feet.

One other thing St Croix boaters need to be aware of is that at 683 feet the river is declared No Wake and all boat traffic is restricted to No Wake speeds from Taylor Falls to Prescott, WI.