Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Division of Ecological and Water Resources Hydrologic Conditions Report Previous reports at: https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/current_conditions/hydro_conditions.html finished above normal for precipitation statewide. The preliminary average for Minnesota was 5.48 inches or 2.16 inches above normal. While large areas in Minnesota finished well above normal for precipitation, this was by no means universal. Places in central Minnesota fell short of normal by about an inch. One of the driest locations was St. Cloud, where the monthly total was 2.17 inches or 1.29 inches below normal. Many locations in southern Minnesota saw two to three times the normal precipitation for September, including 10.54 inches at Waseca or 6.87 inches above normal. The dryness from the late summer lingers on in northwest Minnesota. The US Drought Monitor map released on October 2 depicted a very small area (0.27%) in northwest Minnesota in the severe drought category. 8.3 % of the state was in the moderate drought category, confined to the northwest part of the state. 25.2% of the state was abnormally dry, located in northern Minnesota. The overall trend continued for September: wet in the south, dry in the north. The southern half of the state was mostly above normal while the northern half of the state was mostly below normal. Almost all stream gages in the southern half of the state ranked High (greater than 90 th percentile) except for a few that ranked Above Normal (75-90th percentile). Gages in the northern half of the state were mostly Normal (25-75 th percentile). Four gages (three in the northwest, one in the northeast) ranked Below Normal (10-25 th percentile) and one in the northwest ranked Low Flows (<= 10 th percentile). When comparing received lake levels to their entire historic record, 51% of these lakes were in the Normal percentile, but 29% were Above Normal or High percentiles, and 20% Below Normal or Low. Over half of the gaged lakes were above their average lake level, but over a third of the lakes were below their average lake level. Many lakes that had been decreasing in September received a bounce from rainfall in the last 2 weeks of the month. Looking at only September lake level comparisons, nine of the 23 selected lakes with information in this report showed High or Above Normal percentiles. Two lakes were at Low percentile in NE and NW areas characterized as Abnormally Dry or Moderate Drought on the September U.S. Drought Monitor maps. Groundwater levels in display normal to higher than normal levels throughout much of the state for selected monitoring sites. This pattern was especially widespread throughout Eastern portions of the state. Higher than average water levels were noted for bedrock, buried artesian, and water table aquifer wells. Low groundwater levels were predominantly found in Western and Southern areas of the state. Comparisons with precipitation map may provide some insight into this month s figures. The information in this report is provided by DNR through long term programs committed to recording and tracking the long term status of our water resources. The current conditions of precipitation, stream flows, lake levels and ground water levels in this report provide valuable information for natural and economic resource management on a state, county and watershed level. If you have questions on the content of this report please contact DNR Climatology Office: climate@umn.edu
Minnesota Counties and Major Watershed Index 70 71 80 69 KITTSON ROSEAU 79 68 65 LAKE OF THE WOODS 78 75 BELTRAMI 74 MARSHALL 67 73 PENNINGTON 63 RED LAKE 66 CLEARWATER 62 KOOCHICHING ITASCA 77 76 72 1 NORMAN 57 POLK 59 WILKIN 54 55 TRAVERSE BIG STONE 22 58 CLAY 61 GRANT 24 23 STEVENS LAC QUI PARLE LINCOLN 60 MAHNOMEN BECKER OTTER TAIL 56 YELLOW MEDICINE LYON POPE 25 26 13 DOUGLAS SWIFT CHIPPEWA RENVILLE 14 12 HUBBARD WADENA TODD 27 28 81 29 39 REDWOOD STEARNS 16 KANDIYOHI BROWN 7 18 MEEKER 19 8 11 15 MORRISON CASS CROW WING 10 SHERBURNE 17 33 BENTON WRIGHT 82 STEELE DODGE 41 51 40 31 32 PIPESTONE BLUE MURRAY COTTONWOOD WATONWAN EARTH WASECA OLMSTED WINONA 42 JACKSON FILLMORE 83 43 30 48 ROCK NOBLES 84 52 53 49 50 46 MARTIN FARIBAULT FREEBORN MOWER 47 46 HOUSTON Cedar River MCLEOD SIBLEY NICOLLET AITKIN MILLE LACS CARVER LE SUEUR 20 9 21 36 KANABEC ISANTI HENNEPIN SCOTT RICE ANOKA RAMSEY Level 2 Hydrologic Unit (HUC4) Des Moines River Lower Mississippi River Minnesota River Mississippi - Upper Iowa Rivers Mississippi River - Headwaters CARLTON PINE 35 37 CHISAGO WASHINGTON DAKOTA GOODHUE 3 ST. LOUIS 5 WABASHA Missouri - Big Sioux Rivers Missouri - Little Sioux Rivers Rainy River Red River of the North St. Croix River Western Lake Superior 4 LAKE 2 COOK DNR Major Watershed - Level 4 Hydrologic Unit (HUC8) 1. Lake Superior - North 2. Lake Superior - South 3. St. Louis River 4. Cloquet River 5. Nemadji River 6. (none) 7. Mississippi River - Headwaters 8. Leech Lake River 9. Mississippi River - Grand Rapids 10. Mississippi River - Brainerd 11. Pine River 12. Crow Wing River 13. Redeye River 14. Long Prairie River 15. Mississippi River - Sartell 16. Sauk River 17. Mississippi River - St. Cloud 18. North Fork Crow River 19. South Fork Crow River 20. Mississippi River - Twin Cities 21. Rum River 22. Minnesota River - Headwaters 23. Pomme de Terre River 24. Lac Qui Parle River 25. Minnesota - Yellow Medicine Rivers 26. Chippewa River 27. Redwood River 28. Minnesota River - Mankato 29. Cottonwood River 30. Blue Earth River 31. Watonwan River 32. Le Sueur River 33. Lower Minnesota River. Upper St. Croix River 35. Kettle River 36. Snake River 37. Lower St. Croix River. Mississippi River - Lake Pepin 39. Cannon River 40. Mississippi River - Winona 41. Zumbro River 42. Mississippi River - La Crescent 43. Root River 44. Mississippi River - Reno 45. (none) 46. Upper Iowa River 47. Upper Wapsipinicon River 48. Cedar River 49. Shell Rock River 50. Winnebago River 51. Des Moines River - Headwaters 52. Lower Des Moines River 53. East Fork Des Moines River 54. Bois de Sioux River 55. Mustinka River 56. Otter Tail River 57. Upper Red River of the North 58. Buffalo River 59. Red River of the North - Marsh River 60. Wild Rice River 61. Red River of the North - Sandhill River 62. Upper/Lower Red Lake 63. Red Lake River 64. (none) 65. Thief River 66. Clearwater River 67. Red River of the North - Grand Marais Creek 68. Snake River 69. Red River of the North - Tamarac River 70. Two Rivers 71. Roseau River 72. Rainy River - Headwaters 73. Vermilion River 74. Rainy River - Rainy Lake 75. Rainy River - Black River 76. Little Fork River 77. Big Fork River 78. Rapid River 79. Rainy River - Baudette 80. Lake of the Woods 81. Upper Big Sioux River 82. Lower Big Sioux River 83. Rock River 84. Little Sioux River
67 69 63 59 70 68 65 58 61 41 82 40 83 23 60 56 25 66 26 27 28 51 71 29 13 14 12 80 16 79 78 7 62 18 19 8 11 15 33 75 10 17 31 32 77 76 9 20 21 43 30 48 84 52 53 49 50 46 44 47 46 36 39 74 37 35 73 3 5 4 2 72 42 1 U.S. Drought Monitor October 2, 2018 Climatology Total Precipitation (preliminary) Total Precipitation Departure from Normal: (preliminary) DNR Major Watershed Drought Intensity D0 Drought - Abnormally Dry D1 Drought - Moderate D2 Drought - Severe D3 Drought - Extreme D4 Drought - Exceptional 10.0 7.0 9.0 6.0 8.0 5.0 7.0 4.0 6.0 5.0 3.0 4.0 2.0 3.0 1.0 2.0 0.0 1.0-1.0 0.0-2.0 inches inches August 28, 2018 finished above normal for precipitation statewide. The preliminary average for Minnesota was 5.48 inches or 2.16 inches above normal. While large areas in Minnesota finished well above normal for precipitation, this was by no means universal. Places in central Minnesota fell short of normal by about an inch. One of the driest locations was St. Cloud, where the monthly total was 2.17 inches or 1.29 inches below normal. Many locations in southern Minnesota saw two to three times the normal precipitation for September, including 10.54 inches at Waseca or 6.87 inches above normal. The dryness from the late summer lingers on in northwest Minnesota. The U. S. Drought Monitor map released on October 2 depicted a very small area (0.27%) in northwest Minnesota in the severe drought category. 8.3 % of the state was in the moderate drought category, confined to the northwest part of the state. 25.2% of the state was abnormally dry, located in northern Minnesota.
Surface Water: Stream Flow KITTSON 69 71 70 ROSEAU 80 79 Stream Flow Conditions 67 NORMAN 57 68 63 POLK 59 WILKIN 54 55 TRAVERSE BIG STONE 22 24 PENNINGTON 58 CLAY 61 GRANT LAC QUI PARLE LINCOLN 83 23 25 26 14 27 28 81 29 39 16 18 19 82 STEELE DODGE 41 51 40 31 32 PIPESTONE ROCK STEVENS RED LAKE 60 BECKER OTTER TAIL 56 YELLOW MEDICINE LYON NOBLES 65 MARSHALL 66 MAHNOMEN POPE CLEARWATER 13 DOUGLAS SWIFT CHIPPEWA RENVILLE REDWOOD LAKE OF THE WOODS 12 HUBBARD WADENA TODD STEARNS KANDIYOHI BROWN 62 7 78 75 BELTRAMI MEEKER 8 11 KOOCHICHING 15 MORRISON CASS CROW WING WRIGHT MCLEOD 10 33 SIBLEY NICOLLET BENTON 17 ITASCA 77 76 AITKIN MILLE LACS SHERBURNE CARVER LE SUEUR 20 21 43 84 30 48 52 49 MARTIN FARIBAULT 50 46 FREEBORN MOWER 47 46 44 9 36 KANABEC ISANTI HENNEPIN SCOTT RICE ANOKA RAMSEY 74 CARLTON PINE 35 37 CHISAGO WASHINGTON DAKOTA GOODHUE 73 3 ST. LOUIS 5 WABASHA MURRAY BLUE COTTONWOOD WATONWAN EARTH WASECA OLMSTED WINONA JACKSON Designated major watershed gage Percentile * * Percentile ranking based on mean daily flows for the current month averaged and ranked with all historical mean daily flows for that month. A watershed ranked at zero means that the present month flow is the lowest in the period of record; a ranking of 100 indicates the highest in the period of record. A ranking at the 50th percentile (median) specifies that the present-month flow is in the middle of the historical distribution. FILLMORE 4 High Flows (>90th percentile) LAKE 72 2 42 HOUSTON Above Normal Flows (75-90th percentile) Normal Flows (25-75th percentile) Below Normal Flows (10-25th percentile) Low Flows (<= 10th percentile) Equipment malfunction COOK 1 Previous Flow Conditions August 2018 This map is based on provisional stream gage data from the USGS National Water Information System
Surface Water: Lake Levels Lake of the Woods Lake Level Status KITTSON ROSEAU LAKE OF THE WOODS BELTRAMI MARSHALL POLK PENNINGTON RED LAKE Sarah CLEARWATER Turtle River KOOCHICHING ITASCA Vermilion Burntside COOK Poplar NORMAN MAHNOMEN LAKE AITKIN Upper Cormorant BECKER HUBBARD WADENA CASS CROW WING ST. LOUIS CLAY OTTER TAIL WILKIN MORRISON GRANT TODD KANABEC STEVENS POPE TRAVERSE BIG STONE East Battle Minnewaska DOUGLAS SWIFT CHIPPEWA LAC QUI PARLE RENVILLE YELLOW MEDICINE LYON LINCOLN MILLE LACS STEARNS BENTON SHERBURNE ISANTI KANDIYOHI Swan Edward Green MEEKER WRIGHT Minnetonka MCLEOD CARVER Upper Prior SCOTT SIBLEY LE SUEUR NICOLLET Mille Lacs HENNEPIN ANOKA CARLTON PINE RAMSEY CHISAGO DAKOTA WASHINGTON Marion Pokegama Chub North Center White Bear Previous Conditions August 2018 REDWOOD Shetek BROWN West Jefferson RICE STEELE GOODHUE DODGE WABASHA PIPESTONE MURRAY BLUE COTTONWOOD WATONWAN EARTH WASECA OLMSTED WINONA JACKSON FILLMORE ROCK NOBLES Indian MARTIN FARIBAULT * Percentile ranking based on last reported reading for the current month compared to all historical reported levels for that month. A lake ranked at zero means that the present reported level is the lowest in the period of record; a ranking of 100 indicates the highest in the period of record. A ranking at the 50th percentile (median) specifies that the presentmonth reported lake level is in the middle of the historical distribution. FREEBORN Source data from: MN DNR Waters Lake Level Minnesota Monitoring Program MOWER HOUSTON Percentile * High Water Levels (>90th percentile) Above Normal Water Levels (75-90th percentile) Normal Water Levels (25-75th percentile) Below Normal Water Levels (10-25th percentile) Low Water Levels (<= 10th percentile) No reading available Level 2 Hydrologic Unit DNR Major Watershed
Groundwater Groundwater Level Historical Rankings Previous Conditions: August 2018 Percentile * High Water Levels (>90th percentile) Above Normal Water Levels (75-90th percentile) Normal Water Levels (25-75th percentile) Below Normal Water Levels (10-25th percentile) Low Water Levels (<= 10th percentile) No reading available Aquifer Type Water Table Bedrock Buried Artesian * Percentile ranking based on last reported reading for the current month compared to all historical reported levels for that month. A water level ranked at zero means that the present reported level is the lowest in the period of record; a ranking of 100 indicates the highest in the period of record. A ranking at the 50th percentile (median) specifies that the present month reported water level is in the middle of the historical distribution. Source data from: MN DNR Groundwater Level Monitoring Program