Minnesotans For Sustainability©

 

Sustainable:  A society that balances the environment, other life forms, and human interactions over an indefinite time period.

 

 

 

             

Earlier in the Year Snowmelt Runoff and Increasing Dewpoints for Rivers in Minnesota, Wisconsin and North Dakota*

                Patrick J. Neuman

                                             Table 1 & Figure 1

 

 

                       

Location of river basins for study:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Red River basin is along the boundary between North Dakota and Minnesota,  within the

Northern Great Plains,  and within the headwaters area to Hudson Bay.  The St. Louis River is

near Duluth, Minnesota, within the Upper Midwest and within the headwaters to Lake Superior. 

The St. Croix River is along the boundary between Minnesota and Wisconsin, northwest of Eau

Claire, Wisconsin, within the Upper Midwest, and within the headwaters to the Mississippi River.

 

 

 

Table 1.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Data are Julian Days for the

 

 

Excel Data Sheet for Figure 1

 

Beginning Day of annual snowmelt

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Terminology:

Year

Fargo

Scanlon

St Cr fls

 

 

 

 

 

 

1902

 msg

msg

79

 

 

 

 

 

Mean daily flow is the amount of water

1903

msg

msg

78

 

 

 

 

 

that passes a river station during

1904

msg

msg

93

 

 

 

 

 

a 24 hour period.

1905

msg

msg

89

 

 

 

 

 

 

1906

msg

msg

msg

 

 

 

 

 

Annual snowmelt runoff is defined as total

1907

msg

msg

msg

 

 

 

 

 

annual spring or early winter runoff from

1908

msg

106

msg

 

 

 

 

 

both snowmelt and rainfall.

1909

msg

125

msg

 

 

 

 

 

 

Data used in 10 yr avgs begins in 1910

 

 

 

 

1910

65

83

72

 

 

 

 

 

Additional explanation given at end.

1911

86

90

112

 

 

 

 

 

 

1912

92

97

93

 

 

 

 

 

 

1913

92

103

93

 

 

 

 

 

 

1914

81

112

96

 

 

 

 

 

 

1915

91

128

98

 

Data for J.D. plot:

 

1916

86

102

92

 

10 yr mov avgs

 

 

1917

79

99

90

 

 

 

Plotted  at 10th yr

 

 

1918

81

130

84

 

Yr

Far

Scn

Scf

Example of mov avg for Fargo:

1919

81

85

81

 

1919

83

103

91.1

   83 is avg of 65, 86, … 81

1920

76

83

84

 

1920

85

103

92.3

 85 is avg 86, 92, … 76, plot at 1920

1921

78

86

91

 

1921

84

103

90.2

84 is avg 92, 92, … 78, plot at 1921

1922

76

97

80

 

1922

82

103

88.9

  … …

1923

99

106

105

 

1923

83

103

90.1

      ( Leap yrs, 1904..2000 )

1924

100

132

120

 

1924

85

105

92.5

 

1925

93

87

86

 

1925

85

101

91.3

River Basin Characteristics

1926

80

83

89

 

1926

84

99

91

 

1927

71

75

72

 

1927

84

96

89.2

Red River at Fargo ND

1928

82

85

84

 

1928

84

92

89.2

Headwaters of Hudson Bay.

1929

73

77

75

 

1929

83

91

88.6

Flow record: 1902-2003.

1930

56

129

125

 

1930

81

96

92.7

Drainage area: 6800 square miles

1931

85

83

85

 

1931

82

95

92.1

Average annual flow: 680 cfs

1932

100

98

99

 

1932

84

96

94

St. Louis River at Scanlon MN

1933

94

107

94

 

1933

83

96

92.9

Headwaters of Great Lakes.

1934

100

96

98

 

1934

83

92

90.7

Flow record: 1908-2003.

1935

76

84

80

 

1935

82

92

90.1

Drainage area: 3430 square miles

1936

83

102

85

 

1936

82

94

89.7

Average annual flow: 2410 cfs

1937

100