April 2 Lake Level Update

Elevation               Change from March 18th, 2011             Summer Min

Mendota         849.76                   +0.69 ft                                +0.16 ft

Monona          845.09                   +0.29 ft                                +0.39 ft

Waubesa        844.74                   +0.24 ft                                +0.24 ft

Kegonsa         843.21                   +0.41 ft                                +0.21 ft

We have received 2.29 inches of mixed precipitation since March 18th, 2011.

Locks and dams at both Babcock County Park and Lafollette County Park remain completely open in a full flow condition, as they have been since last April.

The current strategy is to maintain the lake levels on the lower end of the summer range.

March 18th lake level update

   Elevation               Change from March 4th, 2011              Summer Min

Mendota         849.07                   +0.19 ft                                - 0.53 ft

Monona          844.80                   +0.07 ft                                +0.10 ft

Waubesa         844.50                   +0.08 ft                                - 0.00 ft

Kegonsa         842.82                   +0.11 ft                                - 0.18 ft

We have received 0.53 inches of mixed precipitation since March 4th, 2011       .

Snow fall for the 2010/11 season, is 71.0 inches compared to the norm of 43.5 inches.  Snow pack has disappeared.  Only snow piles remain.

Frost is rapidly coming out of the ground. 

Locks and dams at both Babcock County Park and Lafollette County Park remain completely open since April, in full flow condition.

The Stoughton Dam is operating at mid range of their water level orders.  Discharge at the Fortun St location in Stoughton is 435 cfs compared to the long term median of 389 cfs.

National Weather Service is predicting precipitation Sunday and again this coming mid week.  We expect to maintain current flow rate for the next week to allow additional runoff to pass through the system. Pending accumulated precipitation and resulting water levels, we may reduce flow at either Kegonsa and or Tenney to slowly get those lakes to their respective Summer Minimum. 

The intent will be to remain at Summer Minimum for the short term.

3/4/2011

The following is an update for the week ending March 4, 2011

 

 

                        Elevation               Change from Feb 18th, 2011               Summer Min

 

Mendota         848.88                   +0.24 ft                                - 0.72 ft

Monona          844.73                   +0.16 ft                                +0.03 ft

Waubesa         844.42                   +0.12 ft                                - 0.08 ft

Kegonsa         842.71                   +0.29 ft                                - 0.29 ft

 

We have received 1.15 inches of mixed precipitation February 18th, 2011 .

 

Snow fall for the 2010/11 season, is 64.7 inches compared to the norm of 40.1 inches.  Snow pack depth is 1 inch compared to the last report of 9 inches

 

Warm day time temperatures after March 1, have caused snow to melt and runoff.  Summer operating rules are now in effect. 

 

In most places, the ground remains frozen.  We expect to maintain current flow rate for  the next several days to allow additional runoff to pass through the system.

 

Locks and dams at both Babcock County Park and Lafollette County Park remain completely open since April, in full flow condition.

 

The Stoughton Dam is operating at the bottom of their water level orders.  Discharge at the Fortun St location is 370 cfs compared to the long term median of 325 cfs.

2/19/11 Update

                        Elevation               Change from 2/4/11      Summer Min

Mendota         848.64                  +0.10 ft                             - 0.96 ft

Monona          844.57                  +0 .02 ft                            - 0.13 ft

Waubesa         844.30                  + 0.01 ft                           - 0.20 ft

Kegonsa         842.42                  no change                       - 0.58 ft

The Lake Monona gage was back in operation on February 7th.  Data was posted back to February 1, 2011 on the above website.

We have received 0.15 inches of precipitation in the form of snowfall since February 4th, 2011  .

Snow fall from December 1, 2010 to date, is 57.6 inches compared to the norm of 30.8 inches.  Snow depth is 9 inches compared to the last report of 19 inches.

Currently Lake Mendota is 0.44 ft above Winter Minimum. We increased flow out of Mendota this week by about 50 cfs.  This was in anticipation of the a partial snow met this week.  We expect to maintain this flow rate for  the next few days.   Locks and dams at both Babcock County Park and Lafollette County Park remain completely open since April, in full flow condition.  Lake Kegonsa remains 0.17 ft above Winter Minimum.

The Stoughton Dam is operating near mid range of their water level orders.  Discharge at the Fortun St location is 345 cfs compared to the long term median of 294 cfs.

We will be taking in to consideration actual precipitation received this weekend as regards to the expectation when the Summer Minimum Levels take effect later in March.

2/5/11 Update

                        Elevation               Change from January 22, 2011   

 

Mendota         848.54                  +0.06 ft

Monona          NA                      NA

Waubesa         844.20                  No change

Kegonsa         842.52                  - 0.10 ft

 

The Lake Monona gage has been off line since January 17, due to icing problems.  I expect Lake Monona continues to respond similarly to Lake Waubesa.

 

We have received 0.75 inches of precipitation in the form of snowfall since January 22, 2011    .

 

Snow fall from December 1, 2010 to date, is 55.2 inches compared to the norm of 26.6 inches.  We have a snow pack of 19 inches

 

Currently Lake Mendota is 0.4 ft above Winter Minimum.  Flow out of Lake Mendota remains steady in order to allow Lakes Monona and Waubesa to drop.  We expect to maintain this flow rate for the next few weeks.

 

Locks and dams at both Babcock County Park and Lafollette County Park remain completely open since April, in full flow condition.

 

Lake Kegonsa is 0.17 ft above Winter Minimum.

 

The Stoughton Dam is operating near the low end of their water level orders.  We are not able to collect velocity data at the Fortun St location, most likely to icing problems.  Yesterday's discharge was 194 cfs compared to a median average of 245 cfs. 

 

For more information on lake management issues, please see the Dane County website at: http://countyofdane.com/lwrd/landconservation/lakelevelpg.aspx

January 21, 2011 Update

Information for January 21, 2011

 

                        Elevation               Change from January 7, 2011    

 

Mendota         848.54                  +0.02 ft

Monona          NA                      NA

Waubesa         844.20                  - 0.18 ft

Kegonsa         842.52                  - 0.33 ft

 

The Lake Monona gage has been off line since January 17, due to icing problems.  I expect Lake Monona has declined similarly to Lake Waubesa.

 

We have received 0.78 inches of precipitation in the form of snowfall since January 7, 2011     .

 

Snow fall from December 1, 2010 to date, is 33.4 inches compared to the norm of 21.5 inches.  We did not have a snow pack the previous report, today,  we have a depth of 7 inches.

 

Currently Lake Mendota is 0.34 ft above Winter Minimum.  Flow out of Lake Mendota remains steady in order to allow Lakes Monona and Waubesa to drop.  We expect to maintain this flow rate for the next several weeks.

 

Locks and dams at both Babcock County Park and Lafollette County Park remain completely open since April, in full flow condition.

 

The Stoughton Dam is within operating water level orders.  Today's discharge is 273 cfs compared to a median average of 233 cfs.  This increased flow assists in moving water volume out of the upper lakes.

January 7th 2011 update

January 7, 2011

 

                        Elevation               Change from December 22nd      

 

Mendota         848.52                  No Change

Monona          844.62                  - 0.25 ft

Waubesa         844.38                  - 0.20 ft

Kegonsa         842.85                  - 0.12 ft

 

We have received 0.19 inches of precipitation in the form of snowfall since December 22nd               .

 

Total precipitation received during the 2010 calendar year was 37.86 inches.  Normal precipitation is 32.95 inches.  Precipitation for 2009 was 38.35 inches.

 

Snow fall from December 1, 2010 to date, is 21.8 inches compared to the norm of 15.5 inches.  We had a snow pack of 8 inches for the previous report, a trace remains today.

 

Currently Lake Mendota is 0.32 ft above Winter Minimum.  Flow out of Lake Mendota was decreased in order to allow Lakes Monona and Waubesa to drop.  We expect to maintain this flow rate for the next several weeks.

 

Locks and dams at both Babcock County Park and Lafollette County Park remain completely open since April, in full flow condition.

 

The operator of the Stoughton Dam is within their operating water level orders.  Today's discharge is 355 cfs compared to a median average of 282 cfs.  This increased flow assists in moving water volume out of the upper lakes.

 

Information like this is also now being posted at the Dane County website:  http://countyofdane.com/lwrd/landconservation/lakelevelpg.aspx