Whiting Dam drawdown underway for emergency repairs

By Brandi Makuski

WHITING — Consolidated Water Power Co. has begun a controlled drawdown of the Wisconsin River upstream of the Whiting Dam to address a mechanical failure in the dam’s infrastructure.

According to Power Director Martin Burkhardt, the failure occurred in a stoplog—a device used to isolate turbines and tainter gates for maintenance—allowing water to leak into the river.

“To safely remove the stoplog, perform necessary repairs, and reinstall a new stoplog, a controlled drawdown of the river is necessary and now underway,” Burkhardt said.

The Whiting Dam is located along River Road near Sherman Avenue in the Village of Whiting, just west of the railroad tracks and south of Stevens Point. It plays a key role in maintaining water levels for McDill Pond and is part of the hydroelectric system operated by CWPCo.

The drawdown will affect water levels between the Whiting Dam and the base of the Stevens Point Dam. All changes remain within the river channel, and no areas outside the channel are expected to be affected, aside from an increase in river flow.

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission approved a drawdown rate of up to two feet per day. Water is being released through tainter gates at the Whiting and Stevens Point dams, but not through the dams’ turbines. Flow rates may vary depending on real-time conditions.

While the full extent of the drawdown is unknown, preliminary estimates suggest a drop of up to 15 feet. It is expected to take about seven days to lower the river and another seven days to return it to normal levels after repairs are complete.

CWPCo is coordinating with Portage County Emergency Management, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and FERC throughout the process.

“We want to emphasize that there is no danger to downstream residents,” Burkhardt said. “However, for safety, we strongly urge the public to stay away from the Whiting Dam area—both upstream and downstream—until repairs are complete.”

CWPCo owns and operates five hydroelectric projects along 33 miles of the Wisconsin River in central Wisconsin, including sites in Knowlton, Stevens Point, Whiting, Biron, and Wisconsin Rapids.