When the Mississippi River in St. Paul fell below flood stage last weekend, it swamped the record for the longest period of flooding ever measured in the city.

The 42 consecutive days above flood stage easily surpassed the previous record of 33 days, set in 2001.

According to the National Weather Service, the Mississippi fell below “minor” flood stage late Saturday into early Sunday.

Thanks to heavy late-winter snowfall, the spring melt stoked flooding fears in the upper Mississippi. However, thanks to ideal temperature conditions, the melt was gradual. And little rain fell as the river began its rise.

The Mississippi crested in St. Paul at 20.19 feet on March 31. That was still the seventh highest crest on record.

The water began to recede, but a mid-April snowstorm followed by heavy rains caused the river to change course. It hit a secondary crest of 17.64 feet on April 24.

St. Paul is continuing to assess and clean up riverside streets that were submerged before reopening them. Shepard/Warner Roads are now expected to reopen on May 17.

Meanwhile, all the city’s floodplain parks, including boat launches, remain closed.

For more information, go to the city’s emergency management web page.