Minnesota is Underwater: A Flooded Hike in Minneopa State Park
Due to heavy snowfall this winter and a bomb cyclone, warming spring temperatures have caused widespread flooding across the Midwest. The flooding has killed at least three people and caused at least $3 billion in damages so far. Some Native American reservations in South Dakota have been cut off for weeks by floodwaters, and 2,000 homes and 340 businesses have been lost in Nebraska. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has said this has the potential to be “an unprecedented flood season.”
More frequent and severe flooding resulting from massive rainfall is one of the more devastating consequences of climate change. As average temperatures rise, air warms and holds on to more moisture, roughly 7 percent more water for every degree Celsius increase. Seasonal flooding will only become worse, and already impoverished communities will be hit the hardest.
This weekend, Kayla and I saw the effects of this flooding firsthand. Our original plans were to try out a new trail (Seven-Mile Creek), but as we drove up 169, we witnessed the floodwaters climbing, breaking the banks of the Minnesota River. Seven-Mile Creek was completely closed.
While these warmer spring temperatures are appreciated by everyone, myself included, the extreme temperature swing from a horrifically cold winter to an unseasonably warm (and snowless) March are undeniable effects of global climate change. Every spring hike this season will no doubt be tinged by this undercurrent of fear at the future state of the environment.
Nevertheless, after being stopped at Seven-Mile Creek, Kayla and I drove to Minneopa State Park, which has trails on the bluffs (higher ground) above the river. Our first view was of Minneopa Falls, thundering down into the creek below with more force than I’ve seen in my time here. All the trails by the creek were closed due to extensive flooding.
From there, we tried the trails beside the bison drive. The bison drive, flat plains that are normally completely dry, was closed due to flooding. But we braved areas of snow and mud to hike through the wetlands, occasionally being stopped and having to turn around after reaching deep floodwaters, then trekked up some of the bluffs. Eventually, we were stopped by a normally dry trail in a ravine submerging into floodwaters.
While these warmer temperatures are helping to combat everyone’s Seasonal Affected Disorder and save us all time on our commutes in the morning, I encourage you to do your research on global climate change’s increasingly-unstoppable effects (NASA & National Geographic are good places to start) and support lawmakers who are committed to strong environmental policies.