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Kevin F. Connors, Director

5201 Fen Oak Drive, Rm. 208
Madison, WI 53718
Phone: (608) 224-3730
Fax: (608) 224-3745
lwrd@countyofdane.com

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YLAG2 Draft Recommendations - Comments

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  1. Retain current water level orders until an observational network and modeling indicates a need for change in order to better balance public and private interests.
  2. Clarify implementation of Lake Mendota level orders when summer maximum are exceeded during high flows. (DNR)
  3. Coordinate lake levels in the Yahara River system and particularly Lake Mendota to remain high enough (summer minimum - 849.6) from March 15 to mid-May to allow fish to spawn, young fry to grow to sufficient size to survive once water levels are lowered as determined by Dane County and DNR Fisheries.
  4. Strive to operate Lake Kegonsa’s water level at the midpoint of the summer range from June 1 through September 1.
  5. Evaluate the winter minimum water levels orders on all the Yahara System to meet the public interests. – eg. fish and wildlife habitat.
  6. Centrally coordinate the operation of all permitted dams on the Yahara System to maximize efficiency in the system.
  7. Do not deliberately operate the lakes below current minimums as a means to provide flood storage.
  8. Develop operating orders to address operation of the Stoughton Dam in the event of a high water emergency based on modeling analysis.
  9. Explore water level orders that recognize that Lakes Monona and Waubesa act as one lake.
  10. Retain the existing lake level orders for the Yahara System.
  11. Manage Lake Mendota close to its summer minimum of 849.6 feet MSL instead of the near the summer maximum of 850.1 msl in order to provide more storage for major runoff events.
  12. Establish target "median" levels for the lakes.
  13. DNR should establish winter maximum lake levels.
Comments are listed in chronological order (Oldest to Newest):
Comment Text
What does this mean? What is the issue being addressed?
needs to be done
Without knowing what needs to be clarified, (i.e., what's the confusion) it is hard to comment. However, if there is confusion, then clarification is an approriate goal and recomendaiton.
This is a very important recommendation to pursue, because it offers some opportunities to lower high water levels (especially on Mendota) without going below the minimum.
Lake Mendota levels drive the whole system. Combine Recommendations Nos. 1 & 2 to lower Lake Mendota's target elevations 6 inches by 2013. This is a considerable compromise from advocacy during YLAG1 to lower target elevations 12 inches, and from recent advocacy to lower the lake 6 inches in 2011 and then gradually lower to its natural level, 42 to 60 inches lower. Rec. No. 1 would provide temporary risk-management toward reducing the possibility of further damage from high lake levels. By lowering the Lake Mendota target elevation 3” to the minimum of 849.6, the actual average summer level should drop to 849.9, compared to the 1990-2011 actual average of 850.2. Rec. No. 2 aims to allow more successful wetland and shoreline vegetation restoration for better habitat and lake water quality [Rec. 2A]. Second, it creates additional flood storage capacity, important given climate change related precipitation trends. These minimally lower target elevations should be introduced in March 2013 unless contraindicated by modeling or other scientific studies, including consideration of any possible flow improvements. Third, it aims to achieve a better balance between seasonal high water and low water elevations. Lake Mendota's summer level would be lowered the minimum amount that has been recommended by experts toward better protection of native flora, while its winter level would follow recommendations from experts toward better protection of fauna. The lowered level will concurrently create enough additional flood capacity to allow a more ecologically sustainable Winter Minimum. [Recs. 3C, 4A]
OK but don't use Lake Mendota as the source of the problem - flow downstream needs to be unimpeded in order for the whole system to work.
Implementation of Lake Mendota level orders during high water periods should be clear to officials and the public. Implementation should be based on the best, scientific data and weather models available.

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Revised: January 26, 2011