Where Did Lake Delton Go?

After a fun and relaxing weekend, Jeremy, Lexie, and I got home and unpacked. Then we ventured outside. We checked our rain gauge and cut the yard. We received about 5 inches of rain while we were away. We went around the yard are straightened up things that got blown out of place - the lawn chairs, the hot tub cover, the bird feeders, etc. No big deal. We were happy to see that none of the large trees in our yard were damaged or blown over. Within an hour of being outside, another big storm blew in. This storm gave us another 4 inches of rain! (You know it's bad when it's raining sideways and slapping on the windows. It rained all afternoon and much of the night. )

I traveled to Brookfield and back today and saw many flooded farm fields and overflowing river banks. Nothing too out of the ordinary after all the rain that we received. When I was just about home, I noticed two helicopters flying close together. I thought that was rather strange, but thought nothing more of it. (I later learned that they were surveying the lake near our house - Lake Wisconsin and the Wisconsin River.)

When I got home, Jeremy told me that Lake Delton in Wisconsin Dells was empty! What?! Rewind!

He explained that it eroded the bank by the dam and then overflowed. It took out the road by the dam. This was the road that we travelled on the weekend before! The lake that we took our Duck ride on is now empty! How crazy is that?!?!? The Governor has declared an emergency. All the water took out a couple of houses too yet! Here is a link to the local and national news videos:

www.nbc15.com/home/headlines/19523869.html - local news in Madison

www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/25060983#25060983 - National headline and video!

www.jsonline.com/site/photographerphotos/SlideShow.aspx?catid=1263&N=0&photoid=23057

We heard that authorities said that it would take several hours for the lake to drain out completely. The reality was that it emptied in about an hour or so.

Hopefully, the lake will be fixed and filled again real soon! The local economy will more than likely take a big hit. There will be no more Tommy Barlett Ski shows, Dells Duck rides, and fewer visitors at the 20-some resorts on Lake Delton until the water returns.

In a way this is kind of historic. We were planning on going to the Dells to go to Noah's Ark or Mt. Olympus over the weekend to celebrate Father's Day. I guess we will have to be local tourists and take some photos. I am not sure if the roads will even be open?? What a crazy event!

Stay dry!