The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1931-08-13
SHRINK TOLOWEST
LEVEL in HISTORY
Rivers and Lakes in Mime
sofa Dwindle to Half Cen
fury Record
REDUCED TO MINIMUM
Dr0uth Dries Up Smaller
Creeks; Ducks Cut in Half
Fish Have Perished

Heat waves, which held the
northwest in their grip in June
and July reduced the flow of the
Mississippi and Minnesota rivers
to their lowest marks in history,
besides dropping lake levels in the
southern part of the state lower
than they have been in a half CEN
fury, surveys by federal and state
officials disclose.
Millions of game fish have per-
ished as a result and the number
of wild ducks has been cut in half.
Nearly dozen state highway con-
struction jobs have been held UP
and their cost increased by thou
sands of dollars because of the
shortage of water needed in paw
ing.
Lakes in the northern part of
the state are the only natural
bodies of water, which have es-
capped the effects of the drouth, &C
cording to Thaddeus Surber, state
superintendent of fish propagation
Their levels are only slightly be-
low normal, Mr.. Surber said, due
to heavy spring rains.
Dropping from a rate of flow
June Is of more than 5000 cubic
feet of water a second, the Mis-
sissippi river has dwindled until
it's flow is only 1000 cubic feet, H
M. Hill, United tSates army engi-
neer, stationed in st. Paul, an
nounced. The river now is at its
lowest point since it's flow was first
measured 40 years ago, Mr.. Hill
said. The previous low mark was
established in 1926 when the flow
dropped to 2,100 cubic feet second
Low stage of water in the Mis-
sissippi river below the Hastings
dam is causing boats to go
aground.
The level of the Mississippi at
Prescott, Wis, where it is joined
by the st. Croix, is at its lowest
mark in history, 1877 feet below
the level for this time last year,
Mr.. Hill said. It is PA feet below
the Zero mark" on the gauge at
Prescott, which represents the low
water level in 1864. Information
from Red Wing report the rivers
level there at the all time low
mark.
The Minnesota river also has
dwindled to it's lowest stage in
history, officials Of the federal
weather bureau at Minneapolis
announced. Since July IS, the
rivers level at Mankato has held
at only % feet above the Zero
mark" on the river gauge. The
previous all time low mark was
established last August Is. when
the river dropped to 2.6 feet above
the Zero mark"
The Big and Little Cottonwood
rivers are hardly streams any
more. They are so low that but a
small percentage of the normal flow
of water is noted. Older residents
do not remember of their being low
er than at this time.
All lakes in this part of the state
are lower than they have been for
years. The continued heat is also
causing fish to die by reason of the
high temperature of the water.
Many smaller lakes and ponds
are drying up and sloughs that have
not been dry for years are so this
season. ,.....
The drying up of ponds and the
record breaking drop in lake
levels have decreased the numbers
of wild ducks by reducing their
breeding grounds, Mr.. Surber said
1.-THE heat, which has raised the
temperature of lake water aston
ishingly, has caused most of the
loss of game fish," Mr.. Surber said
MANY lakes dried up"