Wisconsin River Aquatic Rescue Effort

WAUSAU, Wis. (WXCO) – The Whiting Dam needs to be fixed and in order to do so, the water is being lowered, creating the rush to move species to deeper waters.

Friday morning at 10 a.m. the DNR and anyone who wants to join, will begin walking down a stretch of the Wisconsin river, for a rescue effort. 

You’ll be looking for species that need to be moved to deeper water. Muscles, fish, mudpuppies and turtles will be affected.

The Whiting Dam has an emergency draw down going on. Which means the water will be lowering at a rate of up to 2 feet per day.

Consolidated Water Power Co. is doing this to fix a mechanical failure in the dam’s infrastructure, with the stoplog. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission approved it and this will only affect water levels between the Whiting Dam and the base of the Stevens Point Dam. That area is projected to be about 15 feet lower than normal.

Whiting Dam is located along River Road in the Village of Whiting, just south of Stevens Point. Meet at the boat landing called “Consolidated Park” in Portage county.