Flash Flood in Dane County, Wisconsin

Heavy rains resulted in flash flooding as water reached depths of 3 feet or more and several cars stalled. This was the last of 6 flash floods in Dane County on 3 different days. The first one occurred on June 7th, the next two on June 8th, and the last three on June 12th. In all six cases, damage to homes, businesses, and crops was noted. It was nearly impossible to break down the damages by flash flood event. Therefore, the collective breakdown is provided in this last June 12th flash flood StormData entry for Dane County.

Some farm fields remained flooded into early July. The breakdown for residential home losses were: 2020 minimally affected, 248 with minor damage, 109 with major damage, and 3 destroyed (total of $6.797 million). The breakdown for business losses were: 152 with minor damage, and 3 with major damage (total of $677 thousand). Crop losses were estimated at $64.6 million. Public sector damage was about $6.067 million. Several roads and bridges sustained damage.

A series of clusters of strong to severe storms ahead of a cold front moved east/northeast across south-central and sourtheast Wisconsin. Copious amounts of moisture were available that allowed repeated heavy rains. Additionally, there was sufficient vertical wind shear to allow for the generation of supercell thunderstorms with rotating updrafts that led to seven tornadoes in this part of the state of Wisconsin. The flooding rains constituted the 2nd round/punch of heavy rains that led to more widespread and severe flash flooding and record-setting river flooding (1st punch was Jun 7-9, 2008).

The axis of heavy rains on June 12th extended from Lafayette County northeast through Dane County to eastern Green Lake County and western Fond du Lac County. Generally 4 to 6 inches fell in this area, with 1 to 4 inches elsewhere. The generous rains in June at Milwuakee led to a montly total of 12.27 inches. This easily broke the record for highest June rainfall total. The previous record was 10.13 inches, set in 1917, and also makes June, 2008, the wettest month ever at Milwaukee.

The Rock River crested at all-time record high levels at the following gauage sites: Waupun (10.07' on 6/13), Horicon (10.29' on 6/17), Watertown (7.81' on 6/13), Jefferson (15.64' on 6/18), Ft. Atkinson (10.85' on 6/21), Newville (15.12' on 6/21), Indianford (18.33' on 6/21), and Afton (13.51' on 6/21). Likewise, the Crawfish River set a new all-time high crest of 13.59' on 6/16 at Milford, and Beaver Dam Creek set a new record of 843.53' on 6/16 at Beaver Dam. Other, new, all-time record high crests include 4.47' on 6/9 on the Bark River at Rome, 4.95' on 6/13 on the Mukwonago River at Mukwonago, 11.41' on 6/8 on Oak Creek in South Milwaukee, 13.93' on 6/13 on the Milwaukee River near Cedarburg, 13.54' on 6/15 on the Fox River at Burlington, and 15.18' on 6/15 on the Fox River at New Munster.

High water levels generaged major road blocks, for various periods, on Interstate 94 in Jefferson and Waukesha Counties, on Interstate 894 in Milwaukee, and on Interstate 39/90/94 in Columbia County near Portage. Most inland lakes rose to high levels that resulted in minor shoreline damage to piers, etc.