Madison’s great treasurers, our lakes, are ticking time bombs. Lake levels are precariously high and a major rainfall could put us back where we were a year ago with flooding, shoreline damage, and ruined basements. The potential economic effects are severe and even those who don’t use the lakes directly should take notice.
Last year, the boating season was lost for thousands as submerged piers and no-wake rules put the kibosh on lake access. True, one could still canoe, and that’s a good thing. In fact, lakeshore owners could canoe right across their yards — but that’s hardly good for property values. (Watch out for that submerged barbecue grill!)
What’s the problem? First, development has slowly taken away porous land areas so rainfall more quickly makes its way directly into the lakes. Second, downstream constrictions make it impossible to let water out of Madison’s four lakes quickly.
I’ve been watching this closely for several years; I estimate that for every inch of rainfall, Lake Mendota raises three inches. The maximum I’ve seen the lake level go down is about 3/4 of an inch per day. Do the math: A 2-inch rainfall means six inches more in Lake Mendota. It would take eight days of no more rain to return to the starting level.
Right now, lakes are at their “Maximum Summer Level,” so any unusually high rains could easily bring a repeat of last summer.
The Dane County Web site has a useful page [http://www.co.dane.wi.us/landconservation/lakelevelsearchpg.aspx] showing daily lake level data. A graph illustrates the fact that, for some reason, even in the middle of winter, the lakes were never quite lowered to their “winter minimum.”
Then in March, significant rains shot the level to above summer max, where it’s stayed ever since.
Capable people are searching for a solution. One suggestion is to permanently lower the lakes, but to me that’s like saying we could improve highway safety by setting a 25-mile-an-hour limit on the interstate. It’s technically true, but that’s simply exchanging one hardship for another.
And then comes word that the Tenney Lock on Lake Mendota will be closed Monday through Thursday to save money. That’s a further restriction on lake usage when we should be thinking of ways to expand usability for citizens and visitors.
The County charges a $5 single-use fee or a $20 annual fee for boaters who use the lock. (Those who already purchased the annual permit for this year must feel like CompuServe gift card holders.)
Simply raising the usage fee probably would never pay the cost of an attendant to keep the locks open because traffic averages only about nine boats daily during the week and 35 daily on weekends.
Rather than just throwing in the towel and closing the lock, why not try an experiment in privatization? Lease the entire lock facility to an entrepreneur and grant the authority to set up a café, sell snacks, and rent canoes.
Over time, a business with the incentive to make the area an attractive summer destination for both boaters and boat-watchers could figure out a way to make a living and keep the lock open as part of the deal.
Keep your eye on the lake-level chart at the site listed below and hope we don’t get a downpour, at least until the lake level can get to within the prescribed limits.
