OSHKOSH, WI (WTAQ) – In an effort to reduce the water levels on Lake Winnebago, the U.S. Army Corps says it has opened all of the dam flood gates it safely can.
While water being backed up from Lake Winnebago and Lake Butte des Morts is not the cause of flooding in the Omro area, which is rather the result of too much water entering that area.
Chadwick Shaw, chief of Fox River Operations in Appleton, says Lake Winnebago water levels are controlled by dams in Neenah and Menasha.
Right now, six gates at the Menasha dam are open.
The Corps is working with Neenah Paper to manage the gates, since the Neenah dam is on their private property.
The five main gates in Neenah are open and seven of the nine “needle gates” are also open.
To avoid flooding in the Neenah Paper and Sunoco mills, as well as in the parking lot of the ThedaCare Regional Medical Center-Neenah, the two remaining needle gates are closed, according to Shaw.
More water is flowing into Lake Winnebago than is flowing out right now, which is causing water levels to rise.
Shaw says they want the level to be 1.4 feet, but the current level of 2.12 feet in Oshkosh is still below the normal summer water levels.
According to Shaw, too much water flowing into the area is causing the flooding in the Omro area and not by a backup of water from the lakes, or water not being able to get into Lake Winnebago.
Lake Winnebago levels would not be affected by opening the dam gates downstream of Neenah and Menasha.
The lower Fox River from Neenah/Menasha to Green Bay has a high flow and all users are asked to exercise extreme caution when on or near the river and especially near the dams as hazardous conditions may appear.
The Corps adds that localized flooding is also possible near the river.
