Pleaste read: These are my notes. The officinal notes will be posted to the below website in a few weeks. Also, my apology for spelling, expically name spelling. Assume the spelling of the name is incorrect. I did my best.
US Army cops of engineers Website for the Lake Winnebago basin
http://www.lre.usace.army.mil/greatlakes/hh/lakewinnebago/
The ACOE has opened these meetings to the public. One thing I have learned by attending and listening to the meeting is the difficult position they are in. There are many stakeholders in this Lake Winnebago water basin and they have different and conflicting needs.
Introductions – lots of people including many people from the army corps of engineers. Marie is the point person to the ACOE on this call.
Bob Stanic – Kaukauna utility
(missed name) - City of Menasha parts and recreation
Art Decko – DNR
Bruce / Mike – Kaukauna utilities
Tom Davy – Winnebago water conservation department
Skip Palermo - Appleton yacht club
WHBY radio
Many people from around the Lake Winnebago basin area
ACOE started by stating their primary goal is flood control.
Goal is flood damage reduction. They must balance with needs of DNR, wildlife, utilities, boaters, and land owners however they made it clear by stating since the locks are not owned by the federal government they are “No longer responsible for marine navigation – flood control is there goal.”
Water level goals:
Current level = 2.09 Oshkosh
Goal by May 1st 2.4-2.7
By July 1 the goal is to be at 3.0 and maintain between 3.0 and 3.3
ACOE stated there is a slight chance of above average precipitation this spring. National weather service confirmed this.
As of today Wolf River is quite high and is in flood forecast; this means it’s just below flood stage.
Ice covers / current refill as of today
As of 29 March the Wisconsin DNR determined ice out conditions on Lake Winnebago.
As a result, a slow and controlled spring fill began. However, sufficient storage capacity must be maintained for flood storage and ecosystem establishment.
Current inflow is about 9,500 cfs while outflow is approximately 8,500 cfs.
Operation band changed for May 1st to June 1st 2.4-2.7 (actual target is 2.4) then starting in June they would like to raise the lake to 3.0 then by July 1st 3.3. NOTE: This is NEW and HIGHER then in the past of 3.0 and maintain. They need to have the range low to the bottom of the band in spring to avoid flooding.
In recent years the post June 1st has been dry. If there is no precipitation then the water level will not rise. They must take into consideration flood control in the spring. There is a lot of wet weather and a lot of precipitation coming.
DNR guy (sorry I missed his name – Art I think) He wants the fill slowed and feel its filling too fast now.
Kaukauna utility (sorry I missed his name) – concerned that the summer level has been too low and is concerned that past summer flow was too low. Also current flow today is past what they can utilize, meaning water is being wasted and not being turned into electricity.
(Missed the persons name) Depere sturgeon spawning – starts in late April. So the first part of May the eggs are incubating. Water level needs to be controlled (not dropped) during this time. So this means in May there is a need to keep the flow up. Low flow after spawn is problematic. Anything below 4,000 is very bad for the eggs.
Tom Davies – Winnebago County – asked Art about aquatic vegetation and concerned that high levels cause low light thus lack of vegetation. Art replied that presently it’s OK and he is happy with how it’s going.
Navigational Buoy placement – Fox River Navigational authority will open the Menasha lock May 11th. Brian w/city of Menasha said navigational buoy’s will be in by April 27th, 2007 in all of Winnebago County. This will be done by Radtke Contractors. Done likely by Friday for that Saturday.
May 12th (this is not correct. The date is May 19th) – Appleton locks opening celebration. Right now everything is fine for this.
Questions:
Winneconne – (missed his name- Bill ?) make a case about the need to reach a compromise for boat navigation. This call started with the ACOE saying ““No longer interest in navigation – only flood control. “
Marie from the ACOE responded – Mid 80’s locks were put into caretaker’s status, the locks have been turned over to the state. They no longer dredge in this area. They value the other stakeholders including boaters however the goal of the ACOE is flood control.
Art (DNR) said they are looking at the merge of the Fox and Wolf river area and looking at moving the buoys placement and possible dredging. Adjusting(raising) the water level for the entire system is not an option.
Bill (from Winneconne) replied back asking to get to 3.0 earlier due to the history of missing the goal.
Marie from ACOE mentioned the past few years had a fast transition from wet to dry and that is why they missed the summer targets and they are looking at a more aggressive flexible plan.
Bob Beon (spelling?) in Oshkosh – added that July is tool late, ½ the summer is gone. He added that the ACOE saying they are only interested in outflows is misleading since outflows controls the water levels.
Marie from ACOE said once they close the gates they can do no more. She restates that the ACOE does not control the water levels. Also restated the need of other interests including sturgeon spawning needing high flow in May, vegetation needing low spring levels, recreation including boating needing high levels, utilities needing continual flow, others.
We are at 2.09 right now. ACOE expects this to rise to 2.2 to 2.3 within the next week.
Marie from ACOE said 2.7 is a reasonable summer operating level.
She felt 2.4 to 2.5 by May 1st is a reasonable guess as to where they will be at.
Name not give, female waterfront land owner – “What does 3 mean?”
Marie from ACOE – 3.0 is a reference point at a location in Oshkosh. Crest of Menasha damn spillway is another reference. 1.5’ over spill is another common reference gauge.
Art (DNR) Since 1982 3.0 has been the goal. 3.0 is the normal summer goal for the past 25 years. The gauge has marks on it. The number is in relative terms and is not meant to be a specific depth.
Same Name not give, female waterfront land owner – “I am at Point Comfort, Winnebago – we are showing the bottom 20’ out form shore – this is very low for this time of year”
Marie from ACOE “2.09 is the current level.”
Marie – said that sediment depositing is causing fill-in in some locations however the water level at this time of year is not off compared to this time of year in past years.
Art Deco – DNR – “The spring teleconference call is not to determine the level Lake Winnebago but how fast we will get there.”
Bob Bexton – I'm just north of the other lady on Point Comfort. “You cant get a boat out, this is MUCH lower then in the past, not including the last 2 years. “
Complaints opened up about broken props, etc.
Judy – tri-county boat alliance. Will notes be posted?
Travis (ACOE) yes, in about 2-3 weeks.
Judy – gave her ID information and stated the need they have for volunteers on the Wolf River June 2nd.
Tricounty Powerboat Alliance
Wolf river cleanup date for 2007 is Sat June 2nd
No website yet however you can reach Jody Johnson at
TCPA@centurytel.net or call 920-446-3930 Judy Johnson
Doug Ales – WiPary - “Tank you for allowing us to participate in this teleconference. How long have there been the water level gauges other then Oshkosh? Is it possible the gauges are in error or have been tampered with?”
Marie ACOE “Since 1992 we have had 4 gauges. Data recorder and physical gauge. Gauges are located in Stockbridge, Fond du Lac, Oshkosh, and Menasha. Checking and testing is done to prevent tampering.
ACOE website address given – used real time data from site to show right now Lake Poygan is 9” higher then Lake Winnebago.
Tom Davis – Land and Water of Winnebago County – This system is a storm water retention system. The need is to protect the properties from flooding.
Marie from ACOE – Once again the ACOE goal is flood control.
Calumet Marina – when do you start the drawdown?
Marie from ACOE – Early January after ice cover is established.
No more questions – call was concluded.
No comments:
Post a Comment