Minnesota Department of Natural Resources has resources for communities, property owners
As part of Severe Weather Awareness Week next week, the National Weather Service Twin Cities will focus on the topic of floods on Wednesday, April 9. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources would like to take this opportunity to remind Minnesotans that it is important to be prepared for flood conditions.
“Like every year, the DNR stands ready to help Minnesotans prepare for and respond to floods,” said Commissioner Sarah Strommen, “We value our partnerships with local communities in this effort and encourage Minnesotans to stay vigilant in their flood preparations.”
Flooding might not be on people’s minds with the recent snowfall across the state, another early spring thaw and four consecutive years of persistent drought in Minnesota, but flood potential was similarly low at this time last year, yet extreme rains brought flooding to several areas of the state in June.
“As experienced last year, drought doesn’t mean floods won’t happen,” State Climatologist Luigi Romolo said. “Over the past quarter century, Minnesota has experienced a significant increase in extreme rainstorms over large areas. The combination of extreme rain events and drier ground can add up to serious flooding without much warning.”
The DNR has a wide range of resources available to help municipalities and property owners prepare for flooding. An expanded DNR flood preparation, response and recovery page includes videos and other information about flood hazard reduction and response, and how to prepare. The page also has links to current flood forecasts and stream flow reports.
To help prepare a community or property for flooding, people should:
- Learn about floodplains, related permit and zoning regulations, and flood insurance.
- Be aware of flood forecasts and stream flow reports for nearby waterways.
Find out more about these and other related topics on the DNR website.