DE PERE, WI (WTAQ) – The Fox River isn’t typically a rushing torrent, but continued heavy rains is giving portions of the river a different appearance:
Along riverwalks and dams across the state, the Fox River is noticeably different.
Many portions of the river have transformed into a rushing cascade that’s due to continued rainfall.
Fox River Operations Chief Chad Shaw describes the area particularly affected.
“We’ve seen a lot of extra flow in the lower Fox River,” he explains.
That extra flow has forced river towns across the state to adapt.
Gates of the De Pere Dam are almost exclusively open in order to deal with the excess flow.
The increased water levels have even affected transportation, as Wrightstown had to close portions of a roadway due to concerns.
Shaw explains that the effort to manage the impact in areas like Wrightstown has become a team effort.
“We worked closely with the department of public works down here to try to manage the local inflow and bring the levels down,” he explains.
Perhaps the most stunned from the river’s transformation is the residents that have lived alongside it for years.
Roger Vangroll admits that this situation is extreme, no matter what time of year it is.
“Typically in spring and fall you see a lot of water go through the dam, but not like this,” he says.
The good news?
Forecasts are predicting some drier weather in the immediate future.
