Pool 2 Report (2024)

Similar flood conditions 10 years ago today, pool 2 crested at 20.13ft.

-J.

Dakota and Washington County issued a No Wake for P2 this morning.

The Dakota County Sheriff’s Office in partnership with the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, and Pierce County, Wisconsin, is expanding the existing temporary no-wake zone to include the Mississippi River beginning near the Interstate 494 bridge in South St. Paul at river mile marker 833 south to the Dakota County/Goodhue County border at river mile marker 807. The river is expected to reach major flood level and crest south of the Hastings Lock and Dam 2 at more than 20 feet on Sunday June 30th. The temporary no-wake is in effect immediately and will remain so until the water level returns below 15 feet at Hastings Lock and Dam 2. The surging water level is presenting strong currents and large, floating debris posing danger on the waterway.

3Rivers wrote:

Dakota and Washington County issued a No Wake for P2 this morning.

The Dakota County Sheriff’s Office in partnership with the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, and Pierce County, Wisconsin, is expanding the existing temporary no-wake zone to include the Mississippi River beginning near the Interstate 494 bridge in South St. Paul at river mile marker 833 south to the Dakota County/Goodhue County border at river mile marker 807. The river is expected to reach major flood level and crest south of the Hastings Lock and Dam 2 at more than 20 feet on Sunday June 30th. The temporary no-wake is in effect immediately and will remain so until the water level returns below 15 feet at Hastings Lock and Dam 2. The surging water level is presenting strong currents and large, floating debris posing danger on the waterway.

Can they do that? And what shoreline are they protecting? I dont have a huge issue, but like Jon said, we were this high before, I just dont want to see this become a trend each time there is high water.

They can do whatever they want until someone challenges it. Not sure how they can do it without cooperation of the USCG, but I imagine there is some sort of emergency policy or clause that temp overrides everything.

and yes that’s the problem with something new like this, its much easier to put a policy in place then it is to remove it. The same thing happened with the 494 ramp. Unnecessary closure this Spring IMO and that has followed a more recent trend in the past 5 years.

I think the sheriff has that authority. Pool 4 (down to Lake City) and the St. Croix are no wake.
Sheriff closed Red Lake last winter for awhile to motorized vehicles.

Lions and Willies this morning. Cresting a little over 20 feet. One trailer at the Willies ramp.

-J.

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DaveB wrote:

Can they do that? And what shoreline are they protecting? I dont have a huge issue, but like Jon said, we were this high before, I just dont want to see this become a trend each time there is high water.

Pool 2 below 494 is so much different than the Croix and Prescott area.

Placing a no wake there is only a suggestion IMO. Its like putting a stop sign in the middle of a desert. They can do it but there is no one there to enforce it.

I stopped down on Sunday and seen two boats launched at Lions. Hidden Harbor had their one good launch on the north end blocked off by cars and a loader so no one could use it.

I did toss some crawlers on the parking lot and the fish were there. mostly sheeps and channels but others were mixed in with them.

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Anybody been out this week? I am hoping to get on the water tomorrow if there is a ramp available.

How did they launch at Lions? That lower lot must be dry by now, right?

buschman wrote:

I did toss some crawlers on the parking lot and the fish were there. mostly sheeps and channels but others were mixed in with them.

“The fish seem to mostly be relating to curbs and no-parking signs right now.”

Dont overlook the current breaks behind picnic tables and light poles.

DaveB wrote:

Anybody been out this week? I am hoping to get on the water tomorrow if there is a ramp available.

How did they launch at Lions? That lower lot must be dry by now, right?

Ramp is closed parking lot launching area is completely submerged.

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DaveB wrote:

How did they launch at Lions? That lower lot must be dry by now, right?

I am going to assume they just drove around the sign and backed down the road to the landing. Was plenty of water there to get a boat on the river. Just had those white and orange signs to go around I guess..

JEREMY wrote:

Dont overlook the current breaks behind picnic tables and light poles.

Yep, right between the no parking sign and power pole was money.. A pile of future barn doors hanging out on the hard to grassy bottom transition. haha…

I called Watergate to see if the launch was open, he laughed and said still 6′ under water. I know that cant be right, but the important part is that it isnt open.

DaveB wrote:

I called Watergate to see if the launch was open, he laughed and said still 6′ under water. I know that cant be right, but the important part is that it isnt open.

The Crosby farm parking lot next door is still full of water. 6’ might not be that far off.

Looks like the Coast Guard has temporarily shut down pool 2 and many other pools of the river to all recreational boating. Wow. I have never seen this action before. Guessing it must have something to do with the Holiday weekend and high water. Pool 2 crested days ago.

So the river crested two days ago and now they shut down the river? Sounds like the government, doesn’t it?

How low does it have to get before the nanny state decides it’s safe enough?

SR

It’s open again now Steve.. Think it might of been closed for a day. Didn’t make much sense to me either.

Mike W wrote:

It’s open again now Steve.. Think it might of been closed for a day. Didn’t make much sense to me either.

There has been a few boats out on P2. I have seen them every day here. No wake is impossible if you plan to go upstream..haha.. Everyone I see running is up on plane and I dont blame them.

Launches back in shape? Might have to give her a whirl here this weekend

Stopped by the 494 access this afternoon. The water is still up to “Turnaround Island”, there’s a lot of mud and wood all over the place, and the barricades are still across the road. The river is still high and muddy but I sure miss being out there.

SR

Find a way to get out if you can. I was near by on a different pool, and the fish were eating. I’m sure pool 2 would be similar. Cranks on wing dams and seams both produced good numbers including a couple big ones I lost when they made it out to the current. Don’t overlook the suspended fish in the seams. A good number of the eyes and bigger smallies came out of schools that looked like this on the graph.

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Barricades still up at Lions Levee.

City of St Paul is opening up Warner Road on Wed. Hope we get the ramps open this week!

-J.

Any news on the 494 ramp? I’m looking forward to lamenting the loss of some favorite logs, finding new ones the hard way, and probably losing a jig or two on Saturday. Waconia was hovering around 80F so I’m leaving the metro muskies alone for a while and a fix of that sweet, sweet Pool2 air.

I chatted with City of SSP. I was told they don’t have any short term ETA when it might be open again.
Guessing they won’t open it until the DNR decides to put the dock in.

Lions Levee ramp is open.

tomr wrote:

Lions Levee ramp is open.

Real question tho. Any luck? I’ll be out early in the morning. Check a few wing damns current seams and back water. Not sure they have moved onto wing damns yet with the high waters. Maybe that’ll change with the water coming down.

494 wakota bridge ramp is open. Fished for a couple hours this morning until we waved the white flag to the rain. Nothing to show for our efforts, had something big on for about a minute that came unglued.

Got out this morning and yesterday AM before the wave of rain came in. Managed 6 eyes. Nothing big but all 15-20 inches. A bunch of sheep head and some small kittys. Real shallow in 2-6 foot of water. Hope to get out once this week after work. Finally starting to put something together.