Second phase of Yahara flooding reduction project begins

Dane County Showcases Latest Phase of Project to Reduce Yahara Lakes Flooding Risk from Climate Change Rains(Dane Co. Executive Office)
Published: Jul. 6, 2022 at 10:06 PM CDT

MADISON, Wis. (WMTV) - The second phase of the multi-year 11-mile project along the Yahara River was showcased on Wednesday by Dane County Executive Joe Parisi and Land and Water Resource Department staff, the Dane Co. Executive Office announced.

The project is a sediment removal initiative to reduce the chance of flooding along the river and help improve water flow, flood storage capacity and fish and wildlife in the Yahara River.

The rain and storms we are experiencing this week are an ongoing reminder of why this climate change project is so important to help mitigate future flooding risks,” Dane County Executive Joe Parisi said.

Parisi said the risk of high water events on lakes will only increase as Wisconsin summers get warmer, wetter and more extreme, citing a 2021 report by UW scientists.

The goal is to remove about 12,000 dump truck loads of sediment in the project’s second phase along two stretches of the Yahara River: Lake Waubesa to Lower Mud Lake and Lake Kegonsa to Highway B.

Currently, water is entering the river through rain faster than it is being expelled and sediment in the river from human activity further slows the water movement.

“This 11-mile sediment removal initiative will help us increase the flow of water through the Yahara Chain of Lakes and improve the management of lake levels during high water periods,” Parisi added.

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