2008 Wisconsin River Cleanup Project

Cleanup along the Wisconsin River in 2008.
Photo by Timm Zumm, Friends of the Lower Wisconsin Riverway

In June, 2008, major flooding occurred on the Wisconsin River below Wisconsin Dells in Columbia and Sauk Counties. As a result of the floods, a bank of Lake Delton was breached on June 9, and in a matter of minutes the entire 267-acre lake drained into the Wisconsin River, destroying six homes in the process. The debris from these residences floated downstream and accumulated at multiple locations along 24 miles of the river between Lake Delton and Portage. As a result of these floods, a state of emergency was declared by Governor Jim Doyle.

The flood debris posed a serious navigational and safety hazard. Swift and efficient removal of this debris was a high priority for the DNR, local government officials, and recreational users of the riverway. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) officials agreed, and offered 75 percent cost share for flood debris removal completed by October 31, 2008.

Cleanup

Living Lands and Waters, a non-profit group based in East Moline, IL, was awarded a competitive contract by DNR's Remediation and Redevelopment (RR) Program to remove 89 piles of debris. During cleanup 20 more piles were found. The entire contract's final cost totaled $92,430.

Living Lands and Waters [exit DNR] and DNR began cleanup on August 13th , and finished on September 5th. Ted Amman, a hydrogeologist from the RR Program's Fitchburg office, worked closely with Living Lands at the river every day during the cleanup. The cleanup effort resulted in the removal of about 120 tons (or 240,000 pounds) of debris from 109 piles along the river between Lake Delton and Portage. Thirty-one community volunteers, many helping for three or more days, worked on the cleanup over the project’s 24-day span, removing 99 percent of the debris by hand. About 97 percent of the debris consisted of wood from walls, tresses and flooring, and an estimated 3.5 tons (or 7,000 pounds) was recycled. All 632 pounds of metal taken from the river was recycled.

This cleanup project is a true partnership. DNR has applied for a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) reimbursement, which will fund least 75 percent of the cost. Wisconsin Emergency Management will cover half of the remaining cost. Sauk and Columbia counties, the Village of Lake Delton and DNR have agreed to split the remaining cost four ways. The total project cost amounted to $112,275.