Wisconsin River | Lodi Valley News

Merrimac Wants ARMY to Clean Up Contamination Affecting Lake Wisconsin

Rating 4.00 out of 5

Lodi, WI
2/10/10

Merrimac town board members Terry Frosch, Steve Peetz (Chair), and John Gaedke, consider and later passed a resolution urging the Army to clean up groundwater contamination that is affecting groundwater, wetlands, and surface water in the rural township.

Last Wednesday (2/3/10) night, Town of Merrimac board members unanimously passed a resolution calling on the U.S. Army to clean up groundwater contamination that is affecting private drinking water wells and is discharging into the wetlands and surface water of Lake Wisconsin at Weigand’s Bay.

The action follows the release of a new Army study showing that concentrations of the carcinogenic explosive DNT exceed state groundwater standards and that low levels of solvents may have also migrated outside Badger Army Ammunition Plant.

The primary source of the contamination is the Deterrent Burning Ground – a closed hazardous waste disposal site located in the northeast corner of Badger. In September 2009, groundwater testing at the site detected DNT at 3.8 parts per billion (ppb) which is 76 times higher than the safe drinking water advisory of 0.05 ppb.

The resolution urges the Army to “take immediate and proactive steps to assure that drinking water wells are clean and free of contaminants from Badger Army Ammunition Plant,” adding that the Army should offer “regular free water testing to all residents at and near the Weigand’s Bay area” in order to assure that families who have not been tested are included in the Army’s water monitoring program.

The town is also concerned about how the contamination could affect surface water. Weigand’s Bay is a natural fish hatchery and provides habitat for several species of wildlife that includes numerous fish and reptiles, as well as several bird species that include herons, cranes, osprey, and the American Bald Eagle, the resolution emphasizes.

“Failure by the U.S. Army to prevent and eliminate contamination in this valuable watershed jeopardizes not only the quality of life of town residents, but negatively impacts the recreational opportunities that supports the economic base of this township and surrounding communities,” the resolution concludes.

The resolution was passed in response to a request from Citizens for Safe Water Around Badger, a local environmental group that has been pushing for cleanup and restoration of the ammunition plant since 1990.

The town will be asking federal and state officials to support the action by sending similar letters to the U.S. Army.

A new look for Lodi Reads Leopold

Rating 4.00 out of 5

Lodi, WI
2/8/10

Each year, the Lodi Reads Leopold committee works to find ways to make Aldo Leopold’s writings relevant and interesting to modern Lodi residents.

Participants have hiked, built benches, watched movies and more – all in addition to the ever-present readings from Leopold’s “A Sand County Almanac.” This year, the group is taking the project to the streets by coordinating an outreach project for Leopold’s ideas.

“Leopold’s 1949 book has always been at the heart of the Lodi Reads Leopold events, and the words still seem to apply to our lives,” said Patti Herman, Lodi Reads Leopold committee member. This year, the group is hoping to apply fresh perspectives through a series of events from now through the end of March.

Rather than a single day of readings, for this eleventh annual event, the readers will make Lodi Reads Leopold an interactive program by taking “A Sand County Almanac” into the places where Lodi residents live and meet. To do that, LRL volunteers will be attending the March meetings of many local organizations. Volunteer readers will give a 15-minute presentation, including a reading and a brief personal perspective.

“We’re very excited to have this opportunity to discuss Leopold across the community,” Herman said. “We expect there will be some people for whom this will be their first experience hearing Leopold read aloud, and they’re in for a treat!”

Additionally, a community forum event will be held Saturday, March 6, during the statewide Aldo Leopold Weekend. “Homegrown Meals: How can Lodi citizens eat nutritional and locally-produced food?” is the topic. The forum will be held from 10:30 until noon at the Lodi Woman’s Club Public Library.

Confirmed panelists will include D&D Piggly Wiggly co-owner Duane Westlie, Lodi Canning Company President Bob Goeres, Lodi Farmer’s Market Manager Gail Lamberty and Lodi School District Food Service Director Paula Larrabee. According to emcee Bill Haupt, the forum will address nutritional, environmental and economic concerns relating to the local food movement.

“This is a topic that seems to be gaining steam as a movement in Wisconsin and throughout the country,” Haupt said. “Given our strong agricultural culture and resources, it seems natural for us to examine this topic and the potential benefits it can provide to our community.”

Leading up to the forum discussion, the Lodi Public Library will host a book discussion on Michael Pollan’s “In Defense of Food.” Anyone who has read the book and would like to discuss it can join in at 7 pm on Monday, February 22 at the library.

“We’re sure that many topics of conversation from the book discussion are likely to overlap with the panel discussion,” said library co-director Trish Priewe. “This way, over a span of the next month or so, people will be able to read a book, think about and discuss their impressions of the book, and then attend the forum to discover new avenues and local approaches to implementing those same ideas.”

Lodi Reads Leopold began in 2000 when a group of local citizens met to read aloud from “A Sand County Almanac.” Since then, the idea has spread to other communities and also spawned state legislation that designates the first full weekend in March as Aldo Leopold Weekend to celebrate the life and works of this Wisconsin conservation leader. To learn more about Lodi Reads Leopold, visit www.lodireadsleopold.org.

If your group would like to participate in this Leopold outreach project and has not been contacted, please contact Patti Herman at 592-5666 or billpatti@charter.net to schedule a reader/presenter. For more information about the community forum, please contact Bill Haupt at bhauptlodi@aol.com. To reserve a copy of “In Defense of Food” or for more information about the book discussion, contact the Lodi Public Library at 592-4130 or www.lodipubliclibrary.org.

Badger Contamination Has Reached Lake Wisconsin

Rating 4.00 out of 5

Lodi, WI
1/28/10

A new environmental study has confirmed that groundwater contamination from an old hazardous waste dump at Badger Army Ammunition Plant has moved beyond the plant boundary and is discharging into Lake Wisconsin at Weigand’s Bay. Concentrations of the carcinogenic explosive DNT exceed state groundwater standards and low levels of solvents may have also migrated outside the plant. So far, contaminant concentrations in two affected drinking water wells are below health advisory levels.

The Army’s December 2009 groundwater investigation recommends that additional shallow and deeper monitoring wells be installed in three rural neighborhoods at Weigand’s Bay to monitor DNT and solvent concentrations and contaminant trends. The new well locations will be discussed with the WDNR, the report says.

The primary source of the groundwater contamination is the Deterrent Burning Ground – a closed hazardous waste disposal site located in the northeast corner of Badger. It was used as a demolition landfill and for open burning of deterrent, asphalt shingles, building timbers, and office wastes. Deterrent is an organic liquid containing dibutyl phthalate and DNT that is used to modify the burning characteristics of nitrocellulose-based propellants.

In September 2009, groundwater testing at the Deterrent Burning Ground detected DNT at 3.8 parts per billion (ppb) in groundwater which is 76 times higher than the safe drinking water advisory of 0.05 ppb.

Area residents do not feel the recommendations go far enough. “The Army should be taking steps to evaluate the cleanup remedy,” said Laura Olah, a Weigand’s Bay resident and Executive Director of Citizens for Safe Water Around Badger. “There is nothing in the plan to prevent further contamination of drinking water and the environment.”

A 2009 technical review by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers confirms that Badger does not have a method in place to determine if operation of the on-site bioremediation system could be affecting groundwater contamination and migration. If the current cleanup remedy is found not to be effective, the Corps identified a number of alternative cleanup methods that could help remedy the problem.

The Deterrent Burning Ground, Landfill #3, and Landfill #5 are also potential sources of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in groundwater, the report says. All are located approximately 1.5 miles northwest (upgradient) of Weigand’s Bay.

The Army sampled private wells in the Weigand’s Bay area for volatile organic compounds twice during 2007. The carcinogenic solvent trichloroethylene (TCE) was detected in five private wells; none of the detections were above safe drinking water standards. The Army said that the source of the TCE is not known however the parent product perchloroethylene (PCE) has been detected in groundwater at Badger.

Certain forms of DNT are harmful to aquatic organisms and may cause long-term adverse effects in the aquatic environment. The Army report does not discuss potential harm to wetlands and fisheries.

River Currents

Rating 4.00 out of 5

Lodi, WI
1/22/10
by Gary Engberg
©2010 Gary Engberg Outdoors

Tips for the Novice Ice Anglers

Grandfather and grandson with their catch at the Yahara Fishing Club Kids Fishing Day.

This past weekend, the Yahara Fishing Club held their Annual Kids Ice Fishing Day at Brittingham Park in Madison, Wisconsin. The milder weather had many children out ice fishing with their parents, grandparents, brothers, and sisters. A few of the past ice outings have had extreme cold weather and even poor ice, so this years weather brought out many who other wised might have stayed home.

The members of the Yahara Fishing Club do a wonderful job in giving so many local children and their guardians an introduction to ice fishing and experience the fun of catching fish through the ice. Saturday’s event started at 9:00 am at Lake Monona’s Brittingham Park and those that attended were provided with free gear, live bait, food, and club members to help beginning anglers learn a “little” about ice fishing basics. If you were brought up in Wisconsin or anywhere in the Upper Midwest then you probably were introduced to ice fishing at some time in your life or know people who ice fish.

The one thing that makes ice fishing more accessible to people is that you don’t need a boat to catch fish. Though many ice fishermen and women use ATV’s for greater mobility, many anglers still walk to their favorite fishing hole. Most of the gear that an angler needs can be put into a five gallon pail and pulled on a sled. The pail also can be used to sit on while you fish your holes in the ice. Everything that an ice fisherman needs can be put on a small plastic sled that costs under $10.00. Ice fishing rods and reels can be bought for $15.00 to $30.00 which is inexpensive when compared to what open water rod and reels cost. A beginning angler should get a sensitive rod with a spring bobber on the end to detect the lightest bite. Purchase a small spinning reel with 2 to 3 pound line spooled on it to your ice fishing jigs. Talk to local anglers and those in the know to find out what the best ice jigs are for the area that you’re fishing. Bait can be wax worms, spikes, plastics, or the new Berkley Gulp which is made from real fish and lasts longer than live bait and really catches fish. A new hand ice auger can be purchased for about $80.00 and power augers start at over $300.00, but a thrifty angler can usually find used hand augers for $25.00 at garage sales. You’d be surprised at the good deals you can find at “swap” and garage sales if you spend some time looking for good used gear. Ice skimmers for clearing your hole of ice are less than $10.00 when brand new. Then, about the only other thing that an angler needs is a good assortment of ice jigs and plastics which are inexpensive. It’s nice to have an ice shanty for the real cold weather and recently I’ve seen new ice shelters for under $200.00 for a 2-man tent. But, you can also spend over $400.00 for bigger and deluxe shelters. It’s also possible to find good used shelters for under $100.00, if you do some searching. Read more »

River Currents

Rating 4.33 out of 5

Lodi, WI
1/12/10
by Gary Engberg

Bald Eagle Watching Days and Keep Those Feeders Full

Wisconsin River Eagle soaring near a local farm.

This coming Friday evening and Saturday, January 15 & 16, 2010 is the 23^rd Sauk Prairie Bald Eagle Watching Days in the twin cities of Sauk City and Prairie du Sac, Wisconsin. Most of activities with the exception of the Eagle Watching Bus Tours take place at the River Arts Center at the Sauk Prairie High School at 105 9^th Street. During the Bald Eagle Days, the bus tours leave every hour on the hour from the high school.

During the rest of January and February, the eagle tours leave from the Cedarberry Inn on Highway 12 (Phillips Street) at 10:00 am. The tour costs $5.00, lasts about one hour going to good locations for viewing eagles, has guides from the Ferry Bluff Eagle Council to answer questions, and make the tour educational and informative. To reserve a spot, which is suggested, call the Sauk Prairie Area Chamber of Commerce at 1-800- 68EAGLE.

Bald Eagle Days has something for the entire family and is a wonderful way for families to see these majestic eagles and learn about them and the many other raptors that call Wisconsin home. Friday evening, David Stokes, a wildlife humorist, will present a program called “Fun with Animals” which has been a success for years. This family program starts at 7:00 pm in the River Arts Center.

Saturday, January 16^th, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and the Ferry Bluff Eagle Council (FBEC) will have exhibits and displays in the River Arts Center Lobby beginning at 8:00 am. Beginning at 9:00 am, Kelly Kearns of the DNR Endangered Resources Department will have many diverse activities for children that will be open till 1:00 pm in the River Arts Center Gallery. Local photographer, Bill Pielsticker, will give tips on wildlife photography in the River Arts Center starting at 9:00 am. Throughout the day, there will also be wine-tasting at the Wollersheim Winery of their new “Eagle White” wine. The winery is located just across the Wisconsin River and only a few minutes out of town. Read more »

River Currents

Rating 3.00 out of 5

Lodi, WI
12/11/09

A Valiant Attempt to Increase the Muskie Size Minimum

A nice Wisconsin River musky.

Many anglers now know that the Lower Wisconsin Riverway has seen an increase in its muskie population during the last decade. Muskies have always been present in the Wisconsin River and in Lake Wisconsin above the Prairie du Sac Dam, but most of these catches have been accidental. Anglers fishing for another fish species (northern pike, catfish, sturgeon, and walleyes) have accidentally caught muskies.

According to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, the muskies present in the Wisconsin River have gotten there during periods of high water usually in the spring. Melting snow and spring rains can raise the river’s water to where it is possible for muskies from Lake Wisconsin to go over the top of the Prairie du Sac Dam and into the Lower Wisconsin River. Periodically, muskies have also been stocked in Lake Wisconsin, but the population of these fish has been low making it difficult to “target’ the big fish. There also are muskies in the Mississippi River, but it would be extremely difficult for the fish to travel up river and take up residence below the Prairie Dam. The amount of natural reproduction in these waters is minimal if any, so most of the fish in question are old.

As I earlier said, the population of muskies below the Prairie du Sac Dam has risen for the years to the point where there is a fishable population of good sized muskies. These fish are concentrated in the waters below the dam from the tailrace area to the Highway 12 Bridge in Sauk City, Wisconsin. Everything that a muskie could want is in the area. There is deep water in the “scour hole” below the dam formed from many years of the spring’s high water (over 30 feet), good habitat, and a steady supple of forage fish to their liking. I’ve caught and seen muskies caught for years, but they are almost always caught when fishing for another species and not in great numbers till recently.

The last few years has seen more and more muskies caught to the point where many local anglers have started targeting and releasing the fish. It is not unusual to fish the tailrace area below the dam, the deeper water in the scour hole, and both of the river’s shorelines and catch and release some nice sized muskies.

But, a problem has arisen with the growth of the fishery. The minimum size for a muskie in the Wisconsin River below the Prairie du Sac Dam is 34 inches which is the state minimum unless there are local regulations. The Madison Chain of Lakes has a minimum size of 45 inches and the Bay of Green Bay has a 50 inch minimum. A vast majority of muskie anglers practice catch and release anyway, so over-harvest has not been a problem till recently. Read more »

Hilgenberg Urges DNR to Address BAAP Groundwater Contaminants

Rating 4.00 out of 5

Lodi, WI
12/9/09

On behalf of residents in his district, State Representative Steve Hilgenberg is encouraging the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to respond to concerns about unregulated groundwater contaminants originating from the Badger Army Ammunition Plant (BAAP).

“In specific, local stakeholders are concerned that 2 of the 6 forms of DNT are unregulated by state groundwater standards, that unregulated forms of DNT have been found in residential neighborhoods in Sauk County, particularly near Weigand’s Bay, and that the U.S. Army is not performing the level of testing needed to identify and eradicate harmful contaminants, as well as determine the path of contaminated groundwater near BAAP,” Hilgenberg says in his November 24 letter to the DNR’s Bureau of Drinking Water and Groundwater.

The DNR recently received approval from the Natural Resources Board to hold public hearings related to the addition of 15 new substances to the State’s groundwater quality standards including all forms of dinitrotoluene (DNT) – a carcinogenic explosive that has contaminated dozens of drinking water wells near Badger in the rural townships of Merrimac, Sumpter and Prairie du Sac. Based on recommendations from senior toxicologists at the Wisconsin Division of Public Health, all 6 isomers (forms) of DNT will be regulated as a single entity. The standard is 0.05 parts per billion – equivalent to the current Health Advisory Level (HAL) recommended by state health officials.

“As you know, the cleanup at BAAP is largely designed to eliminate groundwater contaminants related to the past production of explosives and munitions,” Hilgenberg said. “Accordingly, revisions to NR 140 could give local health organizations the means to enforce suitable groundwater/drinking water standards, and I’d like to take this opportunity to reiterate our concerns and encourage continued intergovernmental cooperation.”

Local environmental group Citizens for Safe Water Around Badger (CSWAB) first petitioned the DNR to establish enforceable standards for DNT in 2006. The group is actively supporting DNR’s proposed health standard for DNT but would like the proposed health standard for perchlorate – an explosive compound used in rocket motors – lowered from 7 parts per billion (ppb) to 1 ppb to be more protective of infants and children who are most susceptible to harm.

“I understand that the DNR is processing feedback from local stakeholders and health experts that have submitted comments related to NR 140 and groundwater contamination related to the production of explosives and munitions,” Hilgenberg said. “I appreciate all the work (DNR is) doing with these groups to implement dependable groundwater protections.”

In Wisconsin, the 2,3-DNT isomer has been detected in 103 groundwater and private water wells at concentrations as high as 2,200 ppb. The 3,4-DNT isomer has been detected in 37 wells at levels as high as 419 ppb. The 3,5-DNT isomer has been detected in 20 wells at concentrations as high as 23.9 ppb and the 2,5-DNT isomer has been detected in wells at concentrations as high as 1.5 ppb.

PUBLIC HEARINGS:

Written comments on the amendments to ch. NR 140, Wis. Adm. may be submitted until December 30, 2009 via U.S. mail to: Mike Lemcke, Wisconsin DNR, Bureau of Drinking Water & Groundwater, PO Box 7921, Madison, WI, 53707 or by email to: Michael.Lemcke@Wisconsin.gov. Written comments, whether submitted electronically or by U.S. mail, will have the same weight and effect as oral statements presented at the public hearings. For more information or a copy of the proposed rule and fiscal estimate contact Mike Lemcke at – (608) 266-2104. The hearings will be held on the following dates at the locations listed:

·         December 11, Madison – 10 a.m., in the State Natural Resources Building (GEF 2), Room G09, 101 South Webster St.
·         December 14, Baraboo – 10 a.m. at the Sauk County – UW Extension, West Square Administration Building, Room B30, 505 Broadway.
·         December 15, Eau Claire – 10 a.m. at the Eau Claire State Office Building, Room 139, 718 West Clairemont Ave.
·         December 15, Stevens Point – 4 p.m. at the UW-Stevens Point, Communications Arts Center (CAC), Room 211, 1101 Reserve St.
·         December 16, Oshkosh – 10 a.m. at the UW-Oshkosh, Halsey Science Center, Room 259, 921 Elmwood Ave.

For more information, contact:

Laura Olah, Executive Director
Citizens for Safe Water Around Badger (CSWAB)
E12629 Weigand’s Bay South
Merrimac, WI 53561
(608) 643-3124
info@cswab.org
www.cswab.org

First Ice

Rating 4.00 out of 5

Lodi, WI
12/8/09

Photographer Gary N-Ski captured these images of first ice forming in the bays and along the shorelines at Whalen’s Grade on Lake Wisconsin.

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Merrimac Ferry Still Open

Rating 4.00 out of 5

Lodi, WI
12/7/09

With close to record temperatures in November, Lake Wisconsin has been slow to cool this year. Colsac III, the free car ferry that connects Highway 113 acrosss Lake Wisconsin, continues to run until the lake freezes over. Gary N-Ski documented the continuing voyages of the ferry.

Lake Wisconsin Late Fall Muskie

Rating 3.67 out of 5

Lodi, WI
11/18/09

Garry Johnson caught this large muskie on Lake Wisconsin on Monday, Nov. 9th. It was 47 1/2 inches and 32 lbs. 2 oz. Photo courtesy of Nancy Mitchell

Tips, Tactics & Tuesdays with Wally

Rating 4.00 out of 5

Lodi, WI
9/16/09

TOPWATER TIME!

Tail Baits like the "Water-Chopper" produce some incredible strikes.

Catching a musky on any type of lure or bait is a thrill that you soon won’t forget. Catching muskies on “top-water” lures is something you may never forget! Watching a huge musky surface 2’ to 3’ behind your bait, pushing water with its forehead and attacking your bait is the ultimate musky high. Especially when they grab it… you get a hook-up and they fly out of the water head-shaking and tail-dancing.

Make sure you feel the weight of the fish before you get the hooks, because often times you are anticipating the strike and pull the bait away from the fish. Make sure your hooks are “razor-sharp.” We use a combination of 2 types of files, a Smitty Double round file, and a Luhr-Jensen flat file with the yellow handle. A good top-water musky rod will be from 7’6” to 8’6” long and have plenty of power. The longer musky rods we use today allow us to cast farther, figure 8 better, and set the hook harder. For line we like Spider-wire Stealth Musky Braid in 80lb and 100lb test. These new Teflon coated super braids cast farther, have small diameters, and have no stretch. They are super-strong. For a leader we like the new fluorocarbon type musky leaders because they take abrasion well and do not kink like the solid wire or braided 7-strand metal leaders. For a good musky reel, try an Abu-Garcia 6500-C3 or similar model. The Garcia brand reels are “tried and true-ed” and they have proven their selves to be tough and durable.

The side to side splish / splash action of the "Fish-Stick" drives muskies wild!

Muskies will hit top-water lures most of the season, in the right situation, but the 3^rd week of August into early October is normally “prime time” top-water action. During August a seasonal weather change happens called “Photo-periodism.” What this means is the amount of day light each 24 hour period becomes less each day. All animals, creatures, and fish sense this change and they become more active. Muskies start chasing more and they seem to feed more often. It is proven though decades of muskies being caught & released on top-water baits, that August opens the door to this highly productive and very exciting technique for catching the mighty musky.

Don’t forget to listen to “Outdoor Horizons Radio” on Saturday mornings @ 8:00am. AM-1670 on your dial. Take a kid musky fishing and if you don’t have one…borrow your neighbors!

River Currents

Rating 3.00 out of 5

Gary's New Puppy

Lodi, WI Wisconsin
7/7/2009

My New Roommate and Companion

Many of you readers have sent me wonderful and heart-touching letters and emails over the years when I have had to put a dog down and more recently when my last Labrador, Bo, passed away last December. Dogs and their stories, many of them sad and tear-jerking, strike a common bond with many people from many different walks of life in today’s world.

I have written about my Labs and their escapades both good and bad over the last two decades. My dogs are my family and only dog owners can feel the heartache and joys that they bring to you in a life that is way too short. Throughout all my writing, stories about losing a companion bring me more emails and letters than anything that I do in the world of the outdoors. Dogs of all breeds and kinds are a common thread between so many of us. Losing a life-long pet is one of the worst things that can happen to a dog owner and brings all of us to tears when facing this terrible time. You never completely get over the loss of a dog that you have raised and spent year’s together hunting and enjoying the outdoors. The bond is a strong one and many who don’t have dogs don’t understand this powerful relationship. Read more »

River Currents

Rating 3.00 out of 5

Hanson's 52" Madison Chain Muskie

Lodi, WI Wisconsin
6/30/2009
by Gary Engberg
©2009 Gary Engberg Outdoors

Understand Fish Movement Through the Seasons for Success

Last week’s hot weather has raised local water temperatures to mid summer temperatures of 75 to 80 degrees. The warmer water has allowed all fish species to finish their spawning and recuperate for the rigors of this annual ritual. Even the last fish to spawn (largemouth, catfish, bluegills, and sunfish) are recovered and feeding heavily in local lakes and rivers.

What warm water, weed growth, and post spawn fish when all put together mean that fish are active, aggressive, and hungry. The metabolism of fish has been raised and most fish must regularly feed just to maintain their weight. The young fish of the year are trying not to be eaten themselves while feeding non-stop for their own growth. If you can now find fish, they should be willing biters! Read more »

Army Deer Study Is Inconclusive

Rating 3.00 out of 5

Lodi, WI
6/22/09

A pivotal human health study evaluating the potential uptake of residual explosives by deer has been found to be inconclusive. An independent technical review has determined that an oft-cited Army study is not able to confirm or deny whether it is safe to eat the deer from the Badger Army Ammunition Plant.

In response to renewed pressure from the U.S. Army to weaken required soil cleanup goals, rural neighbors of the Badger plant hired an independent consultant to review a deer tissue study which the military says supports their position. Citizens for Safe Water Around Badger (CSWAB) asked Environmental Stewardship Concepts, a Virginia-based firm with expertise in environmental health issues, to review the Army report. Read more »

River Currents

Rating 4.00 out of 5

What a Great Comeback!

Lake Delton after the June '08 dam breach

Last Tuesday, June 9th marked the first anniversary of the tragedy that drained Lake Delton and rocked this tourist dependent community. The scenario that caused this disaster would be difficult if not impossible to have happen again. The dam at Lake Delton didn’t fail, but a combination of many forces caused a section of shoreline to collapse into the Wisconsin River.

Here is what happened; first, there was extremely heavy rainfall that saturated the area’s sandy soil. Second, the piece of land that collapsed was between the flooded lake, which created high pressure on one side and the rushing waters of the Wisconsin River, which was only 700 yards away and lower in elevation than Lake Delton. Third, the heavy precipitation saturated the soil causing it to weigh much more than usual while at the same time the rain water and rising lake was moving over and through the sandy shoreline. This movement caused channels and pores that reduced the soil’s ability to remain in place and stay stable. Lastly, the increasing forces of gravity from the weight of the saturated soil and the decreasing resistance of the weakened sand combined with the other forces causing this section of shoreline and the waters of Lake Delton to wash into the Wisconsin River. The breach of Lake Delton destroyed five homes and emptied this lake which had help support the area’s booming tourist industry for decades. Read more »