Water Too High

According to the DNR, the water level you see today (June 1) is too high. And, DNR orders nearly prevents stable water levels from ever being achieved on Lake Koshkonong. Editor's comments noted in red.

There appears to be another water level order violation with the Indianford Dam operation. In April, there were four days of apparent violation. Yesterday and today, dam operations again don't follow the water level order.

Monday, May 30, 2005 you report that the lake level is at 776.12 and only two lift gates were open. (DNR Summer target level is 776.20, and we still must drain the lake)
Tuesday, May 31, 2005 you report that the lake level is at 776.15 and no gates are open.

The water level order 3-SD-82-809 as modified by 3-SC-2003-28-3100LR states:

2. E. Three slide gates shall be fully opened (700 cfs calculated flow) and shall remain open whenever the lake elevation exceeds 776.10 feet, MSL (In other words, the minimum is not necessarily the minimum. We can, and will, go lower)
additionally

2. H. 2) Whenever the lake level is at or below 776.20 msl at the US Geological Survey gage station on Lake Koshkonong and the Rock River average daily flow at Fort Atkinson gage station has decreased over the four previous consecutive days, the dam operator shall release no more than least 1.2 times the average daily flow measured at the Fort Atkinson gage station (In other words, when in-flow is decreasing, we still must drain more water than we are receiving)
The gate operation must be corrected immediately. Failure to correct the gate settings or additional failure to follow the water level order can result in WDNR enforcement actions. Please confirm when you open the three gates lift gates.

I noticed that the lake level had been dropping since Monday, May 23, 2005 from 776.29 to 776.07 on Sunday, May 29, 2005. The east wicket gate remained 100% open until Friday, May 27 at which time it was closed to only 50% open - then closed on Sunday, May 29, 2005.

I know that hindsight is 20-20 but there is nothing in the water level order that would prevent you from closing the east wicket gate earlier.

P Susan G. Josheff, PE, PH
Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources - South Central Region