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WDNR Staff Respond to Floods and Dam Safety

Summer Rainfall Sets New Record in June 2008

A slow-moving weather system in early June 2008 brought torrential rain to sections of southern Wisconsin as numerous thunderstorms developed across the region.  Very heavy rainfall amounts, from 4 to 6 inches in a 24-hour period, caused significant flooding of rivers and overland areas, road washouts, mud and rock slides, and extensive damage to property. Initial estimates from 31 flooded counties for housing, business and infrastructure losses exceed $1.22 billion, not including agricultural losses.

DNR Dam Safety and Floodplain Management Staff Assist in Emergency Response

Dam Safety and Floodplain Management Program staff made a tremendous response to the June 2008 rainfall that caused flooding in the southern portions of the state. The initial response was from Dam Safety staff, which spent many hours providing technical assistance to dam owners in West Central Region (WCR), South Central Region, Southeast Region, and at the State Emergency Operations Center. [View DNR Region Locations.]

Other staff from WCR, South Central Region (SCR), Northern Region, and Southeast Region (SER) coordinated and implemented an effort to conduct quick assessments of dams located in high precipitation areas. In some areas all staff that had any current or former connection with the Dam and Floodplain Program were enlisted in this effort to make sure all of the dams stressed by the flooding were identified.

As the week progressed, floodplain staff started to assess which communities had structures that were impacted by the flooding. Notices were sent out to all communities in the flooded areas, reminding the zoning officials of the need to do damage assessments of flooded structures and to identify and report substantially damaged structures. Staff also held workshops in two locations to train zoning officials and building inspectors in this process. Dams in WCR, SCR and SER were damaged by the flooding event, resulting in emergency drawdowns at 7 structures.

DNR Staff Set New Record for Dam Safety Inspections

Since July 2007, 125 formal inspections for dam safety were completed, including inspections on 3 new large dams and 11 high hazard dams. This is the highest inspection total ever achieved by the program. Dam Safety Program staff worked with owners of dams throughout the summer to determine options available to repair, reconstruct, or remove unsafe dams. In response to the June 2008 flooding event, 237 inspections of other types were also completed.

Emergency Response Planning Continues

The Floodplain Management Program continues to work with FEMA and Wisconsin Emergency Management to provide direction and assistance to the communities affected by the flooding. While much of the focus is on helping communities cleanup and get people back into their homes, there are also efforts to try to help communities look to the future and minimize damage during future floods.

As memories of flooding events often recede quickly, DNR Dam Safety and Floodplain Management Staff met for extensive dialogue about their flood responses to identify what went well and where there were problems. Three groups were formed to work on tasks identified during the review, and a report is being prepared with ideas to improve future flood response efforts.

For more information on the Dam Safety and Floodplain Management Program contact Meg Galloway, Section Chief, Dams and Floodplain Section, at 608-266-7014.