Wisconsin River Report - July 3, 2003

Wisconsin River Report

July 3, 2003

Wisconsin Valley Improvement Company

2301 North Third Street

Wausau, WI 54403

For more information contact Sam Morgan

Phone: 715.848.2976, ex 301

Email: morgan@wvic.com

River Flow and Reservoir Levels Drop as June Rainfall Comes Up Short

River flow dropped below normal by the end of June and reservoir levels began to drop as total rainfall for June averaged 30% below normal according to Wisconsin Valley Improvement Company (WVIC). In the upper Wisconsin River basin from Tomahawk north to Land O’ Lakes total rainfall for June averaged 2.9 inches, 1.3 inches or 31% below the June normal of 4.3 inches. In the central basin from Tomahawk south to Wisconsin Rapids the June rainfall total of 3.1 inches was 1.2 inches or 28% below normal.

The flow of the Wisconsin River at Merrill dropped to 2,019 cubic feet per second (cfs) last week, 7% below normal. At Wisconsin Rapids the weekly average flow of 2,996 cfs was 8% below normal and on the Lower Wisconsin the flow of 5,547 cfs at Muscoda was 21% below normal.

WVIC’s reservoir system was used to provide 33% of the river flow at Merrill and 30% of the flow at Wisconsin Rapids. Storage in the reservoir system dropped 3% last week and now stands at 87% of capacity. Water levels in the five large reservoirs are now 12 to 18 inches below full and falling 6 to 8 inches per week. Reservoir levels will continue to drop until significant rainfall returns to the valley.

Air temperatures were well below normal last week because of a cold front that moved through the area last Friday. Overnight lows dipped into the mid-40’s in many parts of Vilas and Oneida counties early in the week. The weekly average temperature of 62 degrees at the Willow Reservoir near Minocqua was 4 degrees below the seasonal normal. At Wausau the weekly average temperature of 65 degrees was 5 degrees below normal. In the southern basin the weekly temperature of 71 degrees at Prairie du Chien was 3 degrees below normal.

The cold nights dropped the water temperature in the Wisconsin River at Rhinelander to 69 degrees, 4 degrees below normal. Water temperatures of 73 degrees at Tomahawk and 74 degrees at Rothschild were close to the seasonal normal.

Reservoir Water Levels			River Flow			Precipitation
Location	Feet Below Max	Weekly Change (Ft.)	Location	Weekly Average (cfs)	Monthly Normal (cfs)	Location	This Week (In.)	Annual Total (In.)	+/- Annual Normal
Rainbow	1.7	-0.7	Eagle River	N/A	404	Upper Basin	0.81	14.32	+0.04
Willow	1.0	-0.5	Tomahawk	1,976		Central Basin	0.83	13.76	-0.56
Rice	1.0	-0.5	Merrill	2,019	2,164	Temperature
Spirit	1.5	-0.6	Rothschild	2,430		Location	Ave.	Normal	+/-
Eau Pleine	1.2	-0.5	St. Point	3,153		Willow Reservoir	62	66	-4
Reservoir Storage			Wis. Rapids	2,996	3,239	Wausau	65	70	-5
Northern	85%	-3%	Petenwell	2,848	3,600	Prairie du Chien	71	74	-3
Overall	87%	-3%	Muscoda	5,547	6,962

- 30 -