Continual flooding on Rock River raises frustration levels

Janesville Gazette

...There’s an obvious explanation for some of the flooding: In the last few years, the Rock River basin has gotten a lot of rain.

Rainfalls near Janesville have topped 40 inches every year since 2006, and rains this year already total around 30 inches, the USGS reports. That’s something of an anomaly, considering that from 1990 to 2005, annual rainfalls topped 40 inches just three times.

...The requirement, like DNR mandates at the Indianford Dam, is designed to keep the river flowing at a natural pace, regardless of manmade barriers.


...Shapiro said the Aqua Jays also plan to publicly support the Rock-Koshkonong Lake District in the district’s ongoing court battle against the Wisconsin DNR.

The lake district seeks to raise summer levels at Lake Koshkonong by 7.2 inches, in an effort to improve boat access, while at the same time eliminating DNR-mandated winter drawdowns at the lake, which send an influx of water south along the Rock River.

“If there’s anything that can be done to better manage and control the water levels, it needs to be done,” Shapiro said. “That’s not just for water skiing. It’s for residents and all user groups along the river.”