Usually the Mississippi floods earlier in the year when all the snow melts in its catchment area. This year we had a slower warm up and slow snow melt, so no flooding. And then June hit with a few drops less rain than our all-time record.
Living so close to the river, means that we see it often and we like going down to its banks for walks.
Here the river flooded a huge park and recreation area – the red steel structure on the right is a sound stage for music performances. And through the trees you can see the river boats (as in Showboat).
Further south and closer to where we live, a major highway crosses the Mississippi with a brand new bridge built about five years ago. There is public water access here, so the road you see going into the water here, is used by boaters to get their trailers into the water so that the can put their boats in the water or take them out.
Those little dots you see sticking out of the water, are “No Parking” signs Look at subsequent photos where the water has subsided some and you will see how very high the water actually is.
After a few days the water started going down and here you can see more of those road signs already.
The park just south of downtown St Paul started drying up as well.
Last week the benches where you can sit, appeared again – still not at normal levels, but the river has been opened up to barge traffic as well.
You can see more photos on my Google+ album.