Already, DNR Operating Orders across WI are being reviewed and challenged - Thank You Lake Koshkonong!!

Rest Lake dam operating order public hearings postponed

However, in light of the recent Supreme Court decision, a draft order will not be released until after the department can fully consider the court’s decision.

New dates for Rest Lake informational hearings have not been set at this time. 

“The department remains committed to share a draft of the Rest Lake Dam operating order with the public prior to finalizing a new order, but the court directed DNR to consider additional economic information on the Lake Koshkonong case. We are working with our attorneys and economist to review the court’s decision.”

The dates for a series of four public informational hearings on the Rest Lake Dam operating order had just been set and the first in a series of announcements was released to a DNR GovDelivery subscription service for Rest Lake Dam updates.

The Department of Natural Resources is charged with the duty to establish water levels and flows that protect public interests in waters of the state, promote safety, and protect life, health and property. 

“Water level issues, whether they result from drought conditions, dam operation or an unauthorized activity, are often controversial, because they almost always require some balancing of competing public and private interests.” Scott Watson, a DNR waterways supervisor working on the Rest Lake project, said. 

“It’s a great thing that people in Wisconsin are passionate about their public water rights. Public water rights are a tradition that date back to the state Constitution,” Watson said. 

DNR staff had already taken a significant amount of economic information into consideration in completing the draft order for the Rest Lake Dam, Watson said. 

After the department has the opportunity to evaluate how the Supreme Court decision will affect issuing dam safety operating orders, a new set of dates will be scheduled for the Rest Lake Dam pubic information hearings. 

Those with questions about the status of the Rest Lake operating order, may call John Spangberg at 715-685-0431 or email john.spangberg@wisconsin.gov. 

Updates on the project will be available by searching the DNR website for “Rest Lake Dam” and distributed by email. 

Reader Comments
Posted: Wednesday, July 24, 2013
Article comment by: John Sorenson
The Lake Koshkonong decision is a great event for
property owners. The DNR may have "considered"
the economic impact on property and business
owners, but only enough to give the impression
that their reasoning was balanced and their study
complete. If you take the time to actually read
the citizen comments and the DNR responses
you can't help but sense the one-sided direction
that their "New Order" was headed.
Thankfully, the supreme court has turned
the table on them.