Flood Damage Overview of Dane County
August 20, 2007
. McLellan, Dept. of Emergency Management 608/267-2552
Elise Schaeffer, Dane County Sheriff’s Office, 608/284-6142
Joanne Haas, Dane County Executive’s Office, 608/267-8823
Emergency Management
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 8/20/07
Issuing Department: Emergency Management
For more information contact:
J. McLellan, Dept. of Emergency Management
608/267-2542; Elise Schaeffer, Dane County Sheriff’s Office, 608/284-6142; Joanne Haas, Dane County Executive’s Office, 608/267-8823
Dane County Flooding
Reference #08/20/07-#1
Available at: www.co.dane.wi.us
Flood Damage Overview of Dane County
Slow, No Wake Zone declared for Squaw Bay in Lake Monona
A Slow, No Wake Zone for Squaw Bay in Lake Monona will take effect by early Tuesday morning as part of the ongoing assessment and response by Dane County government to the weekend’s storms.
Dane County Executive Kathleen Falk, Dane County Sheriff Dave Mahoney and Dane County Board Chairman Scott McDonell issued the emergency declaration late today for the area from Winnequah Boat Landing south to the opposite shore. It will remain in effect as long as the conditions warrant.
A Slow, No Wake Zone means a boat must move as slowly as possible while still maintaining steering control and produce no wake. Violators may be subject to citation and fine by the Dane County Sheriff’s Office.
“Squaw Bay is of particular concern because of high water in low-lying areas such as Belle Isle in the city of Monona,” Falk said, also reminding boaters of the existing 200-foot slow, no wake zone on Lakes Mendota, Monona, Waubesa and Kegonsa. “These zones must be observed to protect the shorelines from erosion and buildings from water damage.”
McDonell agreed and urged compliance. “The shoreline damage that can be caused by high water levels is intensified by waves made by boats creating wakes,” he said. “There also is a lot of flood debris in the lakes so the slow, no wake zone also provides for safer boating.”
Sheriff Mahoney said the declaration is for safety and it will be enforced.
“For the safety of boaters and the residents of Squaw Bay on Lake Monona, the Dane County Marine and Trail Enforcement will be providing increased enforcement in this area,” Mahoney said. “Boaters who violate the slow, no wake zone will be ticketed.”
(A copy of the resolution is attached to this news release.)
Also, the Department of Emergency Management has contacted all local units of government in Dane County to obtain damage reports and discovered the past weekend’s storms produced widespread but relatively minor damage across Dane County. Of note, the Village of Oregon suffered the most damage with eight (8) homes evacuated due to flooding.
With the majority of municipalities reporting, several reported downed trees, road / shoulder washouts, and rural driveway washouts. There were many reports of basement residential flooding across the county. If citizens have experienced damage from the storms and need assistance, they should contact their local municipality.
Dane County supported municipalities by supplying sandbags and a sandbagging machine. Sunday morning, Dane County Highway Department cleared many trees and debris from county roads in the southwestern portion of Dane County.
Current river, lake and stream levels are below flood stage and are being monitored closely by the Dane County Land and Water Resources Department. Water levels are expected to rise with more rain. As a precautionary measure, residents with piers are encouraged to tie them down or remove them.
The American Red Cross – Badger Chapter received several requests for assistance from persons affected by the storm. They dispatched a damage assessment team to the Village of Oregon although no shelter was opened.
CITIZENS ARE REMINDED NOT TO WALK OR DRIVE INTO FLOOD WATERS! Although the water may appear to be shallow, there is no way to tell the condition of the ground underneath. Persons should find alternate routes around flood waters.
For further information about current conditions and flooding precautions, visit http://www.crh.noaa.gov/mkx/ and http://www.countyofdane.com/ems/flood/default.aspx.
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