EAU CLAIRE, Wisconsin (May 23, 2022) – Xcel Energy is planning to conduct a six-foot drawdown of the St. Croix Falls Flowage on the St. Croix River beginning Thursday, May 26. The drawdown is necessary to replace the flashboards at our St. Croix Falls Dam that were damaged during a recent significant runoff event.
River flows have dropped significantly in the last week which will allow the drawdown to proceed at a rate of six-inches per day. The normal pond elevation range is 754.5’ - 755.0’ and the target drawdown elevation is 749.0’.
It is expected to take approximately 11 days to reach the target drawdown elevation. The pond will then be held at that elevation for several days to complete the repairs. Once repairs are completed, the pond will be refilled at a rate of 1.5 feet per day. The entire process should be completed by June 13 pending favorable weather and flow conditions. Boating, canoeing or kayaking above the dam is not recommended until after this time when the boat barriers are safely in place.
The St. Croix Falls Hydro is one of 19 hydroelectric facilities in Wisconsin owned and operated by Xcel Energy.
###
About Xcel Energy
Xcel Energy (NASDAQ: XEL) provides the energy that powers millions of homes and businesses across eight Western and Midwestern states. Headquartered in Minneapolis, the company is an industry leader in responsibly reducing carbon emissions and producing and delivering clean energy solutions from a variety of renewable sources at competitive prices. For more information, visit xcelenergy.com or follow us on Twitter and Facebook.