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October Remains Dry

 

Like the entire summer of 2003, October 2003 is turning out to be the driest in 27-years according to Wisconsin Valley Improvement Company (WVIC) of Wausau. Total rainfall so far in October of only 0.81 inch is the lowest October total since 1976 when 0.47 inch of rain was recorded. Total precipitation for 2003 is running over four inches below normal in the northern part of the state and almost eight inches below normal in central Wisconsin. Last year almost five inches of rain fell in October.

River flow, which normally rises at this time of year because of fall rains and cooler temperatures, declined last week. The average flow of the Wisconsin River at Rothschild this week of 1,416 cubic feet per second (cfs) was 56% below normal. At Wisconsin Rapids the river flow was 59% below normal, and near the mouth of the river at Muscoda, the flow was 57% below normal.

Storage in WVIC’s Reservoir System, which is used to regulate the flow of the Wisconsin River, dropped another 1% over the past week and now stands at 43% of capacity. Last year at this time reservoir storage was 93% of capacity.

Temperatures were above normal throughout the basin for the past week with daytime highs hitting 77 degrees in the north, 79 degrees in the central basin, and 81 degrees in the southern basin on Monday. Weekly average temperatures were two to three degrees above the October normal.

The water temperature of the Wisconsin River hovered in the low- to mid-50’s throughout the week. The normal river temperature for this time of year is 49 degrees.

 

 

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