Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Division of Ecological and Water Resources
Hydrologic Conditions Report
June 2020
Previous reports at: https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/current_conditions/hydro_conditions.html
June 2020 showed a wide variation in precipitation across the state. In general, rainfall totals werebelow normal in the northeast and central and well above normal in the northwest and southeast. Thepreliminary statewide average precipitation total was 4.47 inches or .15 inches above normal. SoutheastMinnesota saw excessive rains and that really tugged at the statewide average. Mabel in farsoutheastern Fillmore County had 8.05 inches for the month. On the other side of the spectrum, theDuluth International Airport had only .69 inches of rain for June, or 3.54 inches below normal. The U. S.Drought Monitor map released on July 2 depicted 19% of the state in Moderate Drought conditions and45% of the state in Abnormally Dry conditions. The U.S. Drought Monitor index is a blend of science andsubjectivity where drought categories (Moderate, Severe, etc.) are based on several indicators.
A majority of stream gages throughout the state used in this report were ranked Normal (25-75th
percentile) for June of this year. Gages in the northwest, southwest, and southeast corners of the statewere mostly Above Normal (75 – 90th percentile) and High (>90th percentile). The Mississippi River atAitkin (indicator for watersheds 10 & 11) along with most gages in the north east ranked Below Normal(10-25th percentile). The Nemadji River gage (indicator for watershed 5) ranked Low Flows (90th percentile).The two wells with the High ranking occur in the northwesternmost and southwesternmost counties inthe state. A well monitoring a water table aquifer in Douglas County dropped from High water level inMay to Above Normal water level (75-90th percentile) in June, and another water table well inneighboring Todd County dropped from Below Normal water level (10-25th percentile) to Low waterlevel (
38
24
22
55
54
47 464652 5084 53 4449 48
4342
3083
31 325182 40
41
2981 3927 28
3833
1925
2018
3717
34
16
26
1534
23
3614
21
5
3510
13
1157
5812
56
82
460
59
9
7
3
6166
163
73
6272
67
77 76
68 65 7478 75
79
717069
80
LAKE OF THE WOODS
KITTSON ROSEAU
KOOCHICHING
MARSHALL
ST. LOUIS
BELTRAMI
POLK
PENNINGTON
COOK
LAKE
CLEARWATERRED LAKE ITASCA
NORMAN MAHNOMEN
CASSHUBBARD
CLAYBECKER
AITKIN
WADENA CROW WING
CARLTON
OTTER TAILWILKIN
PINE
TODD MORRISON
MILLELACS
KANABECGRANT
DOUGLAS
TRAVERSEBENTON
STEVENS
STEARNS
POPE ISANTICHISAGO
BIG STONE SHERBURNESWIFT KANDIYOHI
WRIGHT ANOKAMEEKER
LAC QUI PARLE
WASH
INGTON
HENNEPIN
CHIPPEWA RAMSEY
MCLEOD CARVERYELLOW MEDICINE DAKOTA
RENVILLE
SCOTTSIBLEY
REDWOOD GOODHUE
LINCOLNLYON
LE SUEUR
RICEBROWN
NICOLLET
WABASHA
BLUEEARTHPIPESTONE MURRAY COTTONWOOD WINONAWASECA
STEELE DODGE
OLMSTEDWATONWAN
ROCK NOBLES
JACKSON
MARTIN HOUSTONFARIBAULT
FILLMORE
FREEBORN MOWER
Minnesota Counties and Major Watershed Index
1. Lake Superior - North2. Lake Superior - South3. St. Louis River4. Cloquet River5. Nemadji River6. (none)7. Mississippi River - Headwaters8. Leech Lake River9. Mississippi River - Grand Rapids10. Mississippi River - Brainerd11. Pine River12. Crow Wing River13. Redeye River14. Long Prairie River15. Mississippi River - Sartell16. Sauk River17. Mississippi River - St. Cloud18. North Fork Crow River19. South Fork Crow River20. Mississippi River - Twin Cities21. Rum River22. Minnesota River - Headwaters23. Pomme de Terre River24. Lac Qui Parle River25. Minnesota - Yellow Medicine Rivers26. Chippewa River27. Redwood River28. Minnesota River - Mankato29. Cottonwood River30. Blue Earth River31. Watonwan River32. Le Sueur River33. Lower Minnesota River34. Upper St. Croix River35. Kettle River36. Snake River37. Lower St. Croix River38. Mississippi River - Lake Pepin39. Cannon River40. Mississippi River - Winona41. Zumbro River42. Mississippi River - La Crescent43. Root River44. Mississippi River - Reno45. (none)46. Upper Iowa River47. Upper Wapsipinicon River48. Cedar River49. Shell Rock River50. Winnebago River51. Des Moines River - Headwaters52. Lower Des Moines River53. East Fork Des Moines River54. Bois de Sioux River55. Mustinka River56. Otter Tail River57. Upper Red River of the North58. Buffalo River59. Red River of the North - Marsh River60. Wild Rice River61. Red River of the North - Sandhill River62. Upper/Lower Red Lake63. Red Lake River64. (none)65. Thief River66. Clearwater River67. Red River of the North - Grand Marais Creek68. Snake River69. Red River of the North - Tamarac River70. Two Rivers71. Roseau River72. Rainy River - Headwaters73. Vermilion River74. Rainy River - Rainy Lake75. Rainy River - Black River76. Little Fork River77. Big Fork River78. Rapid River79. Rainy River - Baudette80. Lake of the Woods81. Upper Big Sioux River82. Lower Big Sioux River83. Rock River84. Little Sioux River
Level 2 Hydrologic Unit (HUC4)Cedar RiverDes Moines RiverLower Mississippi RiverMinnesota RiverMississippi - Upper Iowa RiversMississippi River - Headwaters
Missouri - Big Sioux RiversMissouri - Little Sioux RiversRainy RiverRed River of the NorthSt. Croix RiverWestern Lake Superior
DNR Major Watershed -Level 4 Hydrologic Unit (HUC8)
47 464652 5084 53 4449 48
4342
3083
31 325182 4041
2981 39
27 283833
24 1925
2018
22 3717
34
16
26
1555
54 34
23
3614
21
53510
13
1157
58 12
56
8 2460
59
9
7
3
6166
163
73
6272
67
77 76
68 65 7478 75
79
717069
80
47 464652 5084 53 4449 48
4342
3083
31 325182 4041
2939
27 283833
1925
2018
3717
34
16
26
15
34
23
3614
21
53510
13
1158 12
56
8 2460
59
9
7
3
6166
163
73
6272
67
77 76
68 65 7478 75
79
717069
80
Climatology
47 464652 508453 4449
48 4342
3083
31 3251
82 404129
39
27 2838
33
1925
2018
3717
34
16
26
15
34
23
3614
21
5
351013
1158 12
56
824
6059
9
7
3
6166
163
73
6272
67
77 76
68 657478 75
79
7170
69
80
June 2, 2020
DNR Major WatershedDrought Intensity
D0 Drought - Abnormally DryD1 Drought - ModerateD2 Drought - SevereD3 Drought - ExtremeD4 Drought - Exceptional
U.S. Drought MonitorJune 30, 2020(preliminary) (preliminary)
June 2020 showed a wide variation in precipitation across the state. In general rainfall totals were below normal in thenortheast and central and well above normal in the northwest and southeast. The preliminary statewide average precipitationtotal was 4.47 inches or .15 inches above normal. Southeast Minnesota saw excessive rains and that really tugged at thestatewide average. Mabel in far southeastern Fillmore County had 8.05 inches for the month. On the other side of thespectrum, the Duluth International Airport had only .69 inches of rain for June, or 3.54 inches below normal. The U. S. DroughtMonitor map released on July 2 depicted 19% of the state in Moderate Drought conditions and 45% of the state in AbnormallyDry conditions. The U.S. Drought Monitor index is a blend of science and subjectivity where drought categories (Moderate,Severe, etc.) are based on several indicators.
Total PrecipitationJune 2020Total PrecipitationDeparture from Normal: June 2020
inchesinches0.5
3210-1-3-2
6.07.0
4.05.03.02.01.0
8.09.010.0
-4
456
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47 464652 5084 53 444948 43
423083
31 325182 40
412981 39
27 28 3833
24 192520
1822 37
17
3416
26
155554 34
23
361421
535
1013
1157
58 1256
8 246059
9
7
3
6166
163 7362 7267
7776
6768 65
7478 7579
717069
80
LAKE OFTHE WOODS
KITTSON ROSEAU
KOOCHICHING
MARSHALL
ST.LOUIS
BELTRAMIPOLK
PENNINGTON
COOK
LAKEREDLAKE
ITASCA
NORMAN MAHNOMEN
CASS
HUBBARDCLAY
BECKER
AITKIN
WADENACROWWING
CARLTON
OTTERTAILWILKIN
PINETODDMORRISON
MILLELACSKANABEC
GRANT DOUGLASTRAVERSE
BENTONSTEVENS
STEARNSPOPE ISANTICHISAGO
BIGSTONESHERBURNE
SWIFT
KANDIYOHIWRIGHT
ANOKA
MEEKERLAC QUI PA RLE
WASHINGTON
HENNEPINCHIPPEWA
RAMSEYMCLEOD CARVERYELLOWMEDICINE
DAKOTA
RENVILLESCOTT
SIBLEYREDWOOD
GOODHUE
LINCOLN
LYONLESUEUR
RICE
BROWN
NICOLLET
WABASHA
BLUEEARTHPIPESTONE MURRAY COTTONWOOD WINONA
WASECA
STEELE DODGE OLMSTEDWATONWAN
ROCK NOBLES
JACKSON
MARTIN
HOUSTON
FARIBAULT FILLMORE
FREEBORN MOWER
Surface Water: Stream Flow
Previous Flow ConditionsMay 2020
This map is based on provisional stream gage datafrom the USGS National Water Information System
June 2020Stream Flow Conditions
* 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.
# Designated major watershed gage High Flows (>90th percentile)Above Normal Flows (75 - 90th percentile)Normal Flows (25 - 75th percentile)Below Normal Flows (10 - 25th percentile)Low Flows (
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LAKE OF THE WOODS
KITTSON ROSEAU
KOOCHICHING
MARSHALL
ST. LOUIS
BELTRAMI
POLK
PENNINGTON
COOK
LAKE
CLEARWATERRED LAKE ITASCA
NORMAN MAHNOMEN
CASSHUBBARD
CLAYBECKER
AITKIN
WADENA CROW WING
CARLTON
OTTER TAILWILKIN
PINE
TODD MORRISON
MILLELACS
KANABECGRANT
DOUGLAS
TRAVERSEBENTON
STEVENS STEARNSPOPE
ISANTICHISAGO
BIG STONE SHERBURNE
SWIFT KANDIYOHI
WRIGHTANOKA
MEEKERLAC QUI PARLE WASH
INGTO
N
HENNEPIN
CHIPPEWA RAMSEY
MCLEOD CARVERYELLOW MEDICINE DAKOTA
RENVILLE
SCOTTSIBLEY
REDWOOD GOODHUE
LINCOLNLYON
LE SUEUR
RICEBROWN
NICOLLET
WABASHA
BLUEEARTHPIPESTONE MURRAY COTTONWOOD WINONAWASECA
STEELE DODGE
OLMSTEDWATONWAN
ROCK NOBLES
JACKSON
MARTIN HOUSTONFARIBAULT
FILLMORE
FREEBORN MOWER
Upper Cormorant
Turtle River
Chub
North Center
Poplar
Edward
MarionMinnetonka
Green
Lake of the Woods
West Jefferson
Mille Lacs
Upper PriorSwan
White Bear
Shetek
Indian
East Battle
Pokegama
SarahBurntside
Vermilion
Minnewaska
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Source data from: MN DNR Waters Lake Level Minnesota Monitoring Program
June 2020Lake Level StatusSurface Water: Lake Levels
* 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 present- month reported lake level is in the middle of the historical distribution.
Previous ConditionsMay 2020
!( 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 (
Groundwater Level Historical Rankings
* Percentile ranking based on last reported reading for the currentmonth compared to all historical reported levels for that month. Awater level ranked at zero means that the present reported level isthe lowest in the period of record; a ranking of 100 indicates thehighest in the period of record. A ranking at the 50th percentile(median) specifies that the present month reported water level is inthe middle of the historical distribution.Source data from: MN DNR Groundwater Level Monitoring Program
# Water Table! Bedrock" Buried Artesian
Aquifer Type
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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 (