Low-lying areas along the Wisconsin River in Portage County were under a flood warning Monday after the National Weather Service issued the alert effective April 13 and the Portage County Sheriff’s Office announced it the same day. River levels had already climbed high enough by Monday morning to top 1,076 feet below the Stevens Point dam, the flood stage mark cited by officials.
The warning covers wooded lowland areas along the river, where flooding was expected, and water could also come close to homes in low-lying areas on Park Drive west of Plover. Residents were told to stay clear of riverbanks and flooded roadways, drivers were reminded to follow the “Turn Around, Don’t Drown” guidance, and boating on the Wisconsin River was strongly discouraged because of dangerous conditions.
The rise was tied to recent rainfall and ongoing snowmelt across the Wisconsin River watershed, with several rivers in the area already running above bankfull on Monday and some expected to remain in minor flood stage. The county was also still reeling from a major ice storm that crippled much of Portage County just days earlier, and much of the area was under a tornado watch Monday, adding another layer of strain to a weather stretch that one resident summed up this way: “We just can’t catch a break with the weather lately.”
For people who need help, the Portage County Communications Center can be reached at 715-346-1400, or 911 in an emergency. The immediate concern is no longer whether water will rise, but how far it will spread before levels ease.
