September 2010Flood

LARGEST RIVER IN STATE430 MILES LONG1,050-FT FALL12,000 MI2 DRAINAGE AREA90+ TRIBUTARIESAVERAGE FLOW5 CFS AT SOURCE12,000 CFS AT MOUTHWISCONSIN RIVER

QPF Sunday September 19, 2010

QPF Monday September 20, 2010

QPF Tuesday September 21, 2010

QPF Wednesday September 22, 2010

QPF Thursday September 23, 2010

Stevens Point

Whiting

Biron

Biron Substation

Biron Freight Dock

Below Wis. Rapids Dam

Centralia Dam

Nekoosa Dam

Petenwell

Petenwell

Castle Rock

River is namesake of the stateRiver citiesEagle RiverRhinelanderTomahawkMerrillWausauMosineeStevens PointWis. Rapids, Port Edwards, NekoosaWisconsin DellsPortagePrairie du Sac/Sauk CityLone RockMuscodaPrairie du Chien

TributariesEaglePelicanTomahawkSpiritPrairieRibEau PleinePloverYellowBarabooKickapoo21 reservoirs16 natural-lakeOriginally logging damsPurchased by WVIC in 1907 and 190825% of total reservoir storage5 man-made reservoirsRice (Nokomis) - near Tomahawk - 1911Spirit - also near Tomahawk -1922Willow - near Minocqua/Hazelhurst - 1926Rainbow - between Minocqua/St Germain/Lake Tomahawk - 1935Eau Pleine - near Mosinee - 193775% of reservoir storage25 hydroplantsowned by the utilities and paper mills.Range in size from500 kilowatts (Jersey) to 30 megawatts (Prairie)Ponds range from 150 acres (Port) to 25,000 acres (Petenwell)Petenwell is second largest lake in state - after Winnebago Winter

River flow is very low because there is no runoff - precipitation is stored as snowWater is released from reservoirs to increase natural low flowsFlows increased by 40-50%Winter drawdown of reservoirs also prepares for spring runoff to start the cycle over again.Winter

River flow is very low because there is no runoff - precipitation is stored as snowWater is released from reservoirs to increase natural low flowsFlows increased by 40-50%Winter drawdown of reservoirs also prepares for spring runoff to start the cycle over again.If all years were alike, reservoir operation would be much easier.However, the timing and amount of precipitation is always variableAnnual average is 31, but can range from 19 to 41Monthly amounts are even more variableWinter months can range from essentially zero to over 3Summer months can range from less than 1 to over 9The operations plan is geared to deal with these variations by frequently adjusting target flows based on changing weather conditionsUnfortunately, precipitation forecasts beyond about 7-days are seldom better than 50/50 odds.If all years were alike, reservoir operation would be much easier.However, the timing and amount of precipitation is always variableAnnual average is 31, but can range from 19 to 41Monthly amounts are even more variableWinter months can range from essentially zero to over 3Summer months can range from less than 1 to over 9The operations plan is geared to deal with these variations by frequently adjusting target flows based on changing weather conditionsUnfortunately, precipitation forecasts beyond about 7-days are seldom better than 50/50 odds.If all years were alike, reservoir operation would be much easier.However, the timing and amount of precipitation is always variableAnnual average is 31, but can range from 19 to 41Monthly amounts are even more variableWinter months can range from essentially zero to over 3Summer months can range from less than 1 to over 9The operations plan is geared to deal with these variations by frequently adjusting target flows based on changing weather conditionsUnfortunately, precipitation forecasts beyond about 7-days are seldom better than 50/50 odds.If all years were alike, reservoir operation would be much easier.However, the timing and amount of precipitation is always variableAnnual average is 31, but can range from 19 to 41Monthly amounts are even more variableWinter months can range from essentially zero to over 3Summer months can range from less than 1 to over 9The operations plan is geared to deal with these variations by frequently adjusting target flows based on changing weather conditionsUnfortunately, precipitation forecasts beyond about 7-days are seldom better than 50/50 odds.If all years were alike, reservoir operation would be much easier.However, the timing and amount of precipitation is always variableAnnual average is 31, but can range from 19 to 41Monthly amounts are even more variableWinter months can range from essentially zero to over 3Summer months can range from less than 1 to over 9The operations plan is geared to deal with these variations by frequently adjusting target flows based on changing weather conditionsUnfortunately, precipitation forecasts beyond about 7-days are seldom better than 50/50 odds.If all years were alike, reservoir operation would be much easier.However, the timing and amount of precipitation is always variableAnnual average is 31, but can range from 19 to 41Monthly amounts are even more variableWinter months can range from essentially zero to over 3Summer months can range from less than 1 to over 9The operations plan is geared to deal with these variations by frequently adjusting target flows based on changing weather conditionsUnfortunately, precipitation forecasts beyond about 7-days are seldom better than 50/50 odds.If all years were alike, reservoir operation would be much easier.However, the timing and amount of precipitation is always variableAnnual average is 31, but can range from 19 to 41Monthly amounts are even more variableWinter months can range from essentially zero to over 3Summer months can range from less than 1 to over 9The operations plan is geared to deal with these variations by frequently adjusting target flows based on changing weather conditionsUnfortunately, precipitation forecasts beyond about 7-days are seldom better than 50/50 odds.Winter

River flow is very low because there is no runoff - precipitation is stored as snowWater is released from reservoirs to increase natural low flowsFlows increased by 40-50%Winter drawdown of reservoirs also prepares for spring runoff to start the cycle over again.Winter

River flow is very low because there is no runoff - precipitation is stored as snowWater is released from reservoirs to increase natural low flowsFlows increased by 40-50%Winter drawdown of reservoirs also prepares for spring runoff to start the cycle over again.Winter

River flow is very low because there is no runoff - precipitation is stored as snowWater is released from reservoirs to increase natural low flowsFlows increased by 40-50%Winter drawdown of reservoirs also prepares for spring runoff to start the cycle over again.Winter

River flow is very low because there is no runoff - precipitation is stored as snowWater is released from reservoirs to increase natural low flowsFlows increased by 40-50%Winter drawdown of reservoirs also prepares for spring runoff to start the cycle over again.Winter

River flow is very low because there is no runoff - precipitation is stored as snowWater is released from reservoirs to increase natural low flowsFlows increased by 40-50%Winter drawdown of reservoirs also prepares for spring runoff to start the cycle over again.Winter

River flow is very low because there is no runoff - precipitation is stored as snowWater is released from reservoirs to increase natural low flowsFlows increased by 40-50%Winter drawdown of reservoirs also prepares for spring runoff to start the cycle over again.Winter

River flow is very low because there is no runoff - precipitation is stored as snowWater is released from reservoirs to increase natural low flowsFlows increased by 40-50%Winter drawdown of reservoirs also prepares for spring runoff to start the cycle over again.Winter

River flow is very low because there is no runoff - precipitation is stored as snowWater is released from reservoirs to increase natural low flowsFlows increased by 40-50%Winter drawdown of reservoirs also prepares for spring runoff to start the cycle over again.If all years were alike, reservoir operation would be much easier.However, the timing and amount of precipitation is always variableAnnual average is 31, but can range from 19 to 41Monthly amounts are even more variableWinter months can range from essentially zero to over 3Summer months can range from less than 1 to over 9The operations plan is geared to deal with these variations by frequently adjusting target flows based on changing weather conditionsUnfortunately, precipitation forecasts beyond about 7-days are seldom better than 50/50 odds.If all years were alike, reservoir operation would be much easier.However, the timing and amount of precipitation is always variableAnnual average is 31, but can range from 19 to 41Monthly amounts are even more variableWinter months can range from essentially zero to over 3Summer months can range from less than 1 to over 9The operations plan is geared to deal with these variations by frequently adjusting target flows based on changing weather conditionsUnfortunately, precipitation forecasts beyond about 7-days are seldom better than 50/50 odds.