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Wisconsin River Report November 10, 2005

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

 

Very Dry Conditions Return

 

Following a heavy rainfall event that soaked the northwoods in early October, the dry conditions that prevailed during the summer returned to the Wisconsin River valley according to Wisconsin Valley Improvement Company (WVIC) of Wausau. Since October 10^th, total rainfall in the northern basin above Tomahawk has averaged 1.71 inches, 26% below normal. In the central basin between Tomahawk and Wisconsin Rapids rainfall averaged only 1.14 inches, 50% below normal. Despite the five inches of rain in the northern basin in early October, total rainfall for the year is still running about two inches below normal in the north. In the central basin where the early-October storm only produced about 2 inches of rain, total rainfall for the year is almost five inches below normal.

Water levels in WVIC’s reservoir system have remained fairly steady since the October rains. The Rainbow Reservoir near Lake Tomahawk where the heaviest rains were recorded is about 3.5 feet below the full mark. The Willow Reservoir near Hazelhurst is 7.3 feet below full. The Rice (Lake Nokomis) and Spirit Reservoirs near Tomahawk are 3.8 and 5.4 feet below full respectively. The Big Eau Pleine Reservoir near Mosinee, which was missed by the heavy October rains, remains 12.5 feet below full.

            River flows, which rose above normal briefly in early October, have again dropped well below normal. The weekly average river flow of 1,367 cubic feet per second (cfs) at Merrill is 27% below the November normal. At Wisconsin Rapids the weekly flow of 1,925 cfs was only half the November normal, reflecting the drier conditions in the central basin. Flows in the lower basin were also very low with the weekly average flow of 4,490 cfs at Muscoda coming in 44% below normal.

            Unless significant rains return, the annual winter drawdown of all of WVIC’s 21 reservoirs will be starting in the next two weeks.

 

 

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