Public Works Flood Hearing and Some Thoughts

I attended last night's Monona Public Works Committee's public hearing on "Spring 2008 Rainfall and High Water Level for Lake Monona."

The agenda further stated: "Public Hearing for the purpose of the sharing of information and ideas relative to the Spring 2008 rainfall and subsequent high water level of Lake Monona. Included will be discussion of planned and possible future improvements to city infrastructure and shoreline in the Belle Isle area."

The meeting was well-attended - probably 75-80 residents with all city alders and the mayor in attendance.

[One item that also needs discussion are the recurrent sanitary sewage backups in the city. I know they recur on Maywood and Midmoor (Others?). And by the way, if you have water coming up the drain pipe on your floor that's probably sewage even if it looks fairly clear.]

I 'only' stayed for the first two and a half hours of the meeting, but here's what I heard and some thoughts. Former alder Peter McKeever spoke first and emphasized the importance of development and the resultant increase in stormwater runoff upstream in the watershed. (BTW, Peter looks a lot more relaxed these days). That brings more water to Lake Monona and the rest of the chain of lakes. Sue Manning presented some observations and very helpful slides. Alder Wiswell also spoke at some length.

The city staff made a brief presentation on the PW effort to aid in the flood response and longer term measures to address the Belle Isle problem. An intermediate step is the installation of two stormwater lift stations. These are being funded 75% by FEMA (FEMA: Federal Emergency Management Agency) and 25% by the city (I think the total cost is about $100K). That was denied by FEMA in 2006 and then approved in 2007 pending an environmental assessment).

Longer term the city has received a planning grant for flood mitigation from FEMA in the amount of little under $50K. A consultant will be hired to develop alternatives.

An item that was briefly touched while I was there is a possible widening of the railroad trestle over the water between Upper Mud Lake and Lake Waubesa. The opening is about 20' wide now and could be rebuilt to 50' in conjunction with the extension of a bike trail running partially along the tracks from Lake Farm Park to McFarland. This project is moving forward in the planning stages and is likely at least several years off.

Kevin Connors, Director of Dane County Land & Water Resources Department and the grand poobah of the lock and dams made a presentation and answered questions. He received quite a grilling. Several vitals points emerged:

• The chain of lakes are and must be managed as an overall system.
• There are a lot of competing interests, needs,wants, and desires.
• A string of events occurred to create the current high waters: Heavy rains late last summer and fall, 100+" of snowfall, and some 10" of rain in three events within seven days this June.
• The elevation difference between Lake Monona and the lakes downstream if only a few inches so that the lake empties slowly.
• The downstream dams at Babcock and La Follette Parks have been wide open since last August (usually wide open beginning in November). That is the only way to reduce lake Monona's level.
• Belle Isle residents want the county to stop any flow from Mendota to Monona for a few days to see if Monona can be brought down to safer levels more quickly. Connors has already reduced the flow by 50% and is considering further reductions. (I sent him an email asking him to do so and I understand the Mayor discussed this possibility with him.)

On a larger scale it is also clear that we are seeing more extreme weather events and that these are probably related to global climate change. See this timely story from Newsweek here: http://www.newsweek.com/id/143787 Warm globally, rain locally.

One other strategy that is essential for the city is to make the Capital Area Regional Planning Commission constantly mindful that upstream development brings water downstream.