Home | Reservoirs | Hydroplants | Wisconsin River | Recreation | News | Data & Links | Public Safety | Water Levels | Hydropower Facts |

 

Wisconsin River Report August 27, 2004

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

 

Drought Continues in North and Central Wisconsin

 

The dry conditions that began in early June for northern and central Wisconsin have continued through the entire month of August according to Wisconsin Valley Improvement Company (WVIC) of Wausau. All summer, rainstorms have stopped in Minnesota, moved south to southern Wisconsin or Illinois, or moved north to the upper peninsula of Michigan. Since June 1, rainfall in the northern portion of the Wisconsin River basin is averaging 43% below normal. In some areas like Tomahawk, rainfall is more than 50% below normal. The central river basin between Tomahawk and Wisconsin Rapids has received more rain than the northern basin, but rainfall for the summer season is still averaging 15% below normal.

The dry conditions have resulted in very low flow along the entire length of the Wisconsin River. At Merrill, river flow last week averaged 1,349 cubic feet per second, 27% below the August normal. At Wisconsin Rapids the weekly average river flow was 32% below normal, and on the lower river at Muscoda the flow was 30% below normal.  Water released from WVIC’s reservoir system provided 43% of the river flow at Merrill last week and 40% of the flow at Wisconsin Rapids.

The drought conditions have caused storage in the reservoir system to plummet this summer. Storage in the northern reservoir system dropped 3% last week to 59% of capacity. Overall reservoir storage also dropped 3% and now stands at 64% of capacity. Water levels in the four large northern reservoirs range from 4 to over 6 feet below the full mark. The Big Eau Pleine Reservoir in the central basin is 3.5 feet below the full mark. Until significant rainfall occurs, water levels in the large reservoirs will continue to fall at the rate of 3-6 inches per week.

            Air temperatures were well below normal throughout the basin last week, especially in the southern basin where the weekly average temperature was 8 degrees below the August normal. The water temperature in the Wisconsin River dropped into the upper 60’s in early August and has remained there all month. Normal water temperature ranges from 74 degrees in early August to 71 degrees in late August.

 

 

- 30 -