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Today, May 24, 2022 is the first day since the week of March 21, 2022 RKLD has been close to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources mandated winter maximum water level at 776.00 with a water level at USGS gauge #05427235 near Newville with a reading of 776.10. The Indianford Dam operator has maintained the current facilities at full open settings since the week of that March 21, 2022, date. The water reached the Slow-No-Wake level April 8, 2022 and remained there for a week. The Rock Koshkonong Lake District was one major weather event on the Rock River watershed from being at or near flood stage.
The WisDNR 2014 mandate, updated in 2020 for the Indianford Dam and the RKLD lake district is in progress and will increase the flow by 50% at the Indianford Dam. The inability of the current water control tools to mitigate those weather event threats makes clear the urgency of the water control project.
Our general contractor, IEI is staged to start the project when conditions permit. Many materials are in place at the Indianford Dam for that start that is delayed by high water levels both headwater and tailwater. The anticipated March start date was pushed back due to those levels for worker safety and the ability to work in the space under the powerhouse floor. A late June or early July start date is expected.
Navigation, obstruction and slow-no-wake buoys are in place for the boater’s safety. Please observe boating rules and share the lake with fisherman, skiers and canoers/kayakers. The Rock County Board took no action on a proposal to move the slow-no-wake buoys location west of the I90/I39 bridge. The placement of those buoys will at least for now remain the same.
The Rock Koshkonong Lake District annual meeting is scheduled for August 27, 2022, at the Edgerton Racetrack Park. Good conversation is taking place at the monthly RKLD meetings about future priorities to bring to the electors for consideration. The RKLD Commissioners appreciate input for those priorities at the monthly meetings.
Again, I would like to thank the RKLD volunteer commissioners for the work they do to make the lake district a better place to live and recreate.
Chair Alan Sweeney