EAU CLAIRE, Wis. (Sept. 25, 2024) – A habitat-based drawdown, conducted seven of the last eleven years, aimed at managing aquatic vegetation and improving fishery habitat will not occur this fall on the Chippewa Flowage. Local residents, property owners and users of the flowage will notice a more historical operation, where the reservoir level increases throughout the fall until freeze-up and then water level will drop gradually throughout the winter.
The idea of the habitat-based drawdown was developed by the Chippewa Flowage Partners Group (CF Partners) and specifies a deeper fall drawdown followed by a continuing winter drawdown until the target elevation is reached on the 15,300-acre flowage. The CF Partners is comprised of appointed representatives from federal and state resource agencies, Lac Courte Oreilles Band of Lake Superior Ojibwe, Xcel Energy and local stakeholders that have a strong interest in the flowage. The habitat-based drawdown has resulted in a significant reduction in the abundance of Eurasion Water Milfoil and improved fish recruitment to the flowage.
“The CF Partners has had a lot of success working cooperatively with Xcel Energy over the last few years to use drawdowns to manage fish habitat and control invasive aquatic plants,” said Max Wolter, fisheries biologist, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. “A habitat-based drawdown was not recommended this year after looking at all the relevant resource factors, including fisheries, aquatic plants and recreational access.”
“Xcel Energy has been working with the CF Partners Group since 2006 to better manage the flowage and surrounding lands,” said Rob Olson, manager Hydro Operation. “This public/private partnership has proven to be successful in accomplishing that goal.”
The flowage level will be increased beginning in October with near-full levels expected by early December, pending suitable precipitation and inflow. The annual fall drawdown of the upstream Moose Lake reservoir will begin around Oct. 15, which will increase the Chippewa Flowage elevation by about six inches by early November.
Xcel Energy urges caution on the Chippewa Flowage for boaters during the end of the open-water season as well as for other recreationists utilizing the reservoir during the upcoming winter season.
