With more heavy rain possible this weekend, and more potential flooding for the isthmus, you may feel constantly overwhelmed by the forecast.
Madison Mayor Paul Soglin says you’re not alone.
“With most natural disasters, like a tornado or hurricane, it hits and then about a day later, you go into recovery mode,” Soglin said. “The offensive mode of the event is terminated. With this flooding event, we cannot say the end is in sight with lake levels this high.”
As the flooding situation drags on into its 10th day, city of Madison officials said that in an effort to manage the water level on Lake Mendota, the flow of water has once again been increased through the Tenney Dam.
Soglin said the entire process can be frustrating, because with local lakes and rivers near capacity, the amount of water let out of the dam has to be closely regulated.
“As we bring down Lake Mendota, it brings rushing water into the Yahara River and Lake Monona, that is what’s flooding the isthmus,” Soglin said. “It’s like you’re emptying one giant bathtub into another giant bathtub through a straw.”
Residents on the isthmus need to remain vigilant of flooding, and watch not just rain totals in Madison, but in the entire watershed. Soglin also added officials will continue to decrease water levels on Lake Mendota whenever possible.
However, the fact is that Madison won’t be in the clear until we get an extended stretch of dry weather, which doesn’t look likely in the short term.
