Dam
Operating Order
Amended
Water Level Order for the
( 3-SD-82-809
Amended
Indianford Dam on the Rock River in
( Amended Water
Level
Rock County
(
FINDINGS OF
FACT
1.
The Indianford Dam is located on the Rock River in the NW¼ of the NW ¼
of Section 21, T4N, R12E, (Town of Fulton) in Rock County. The Rock River is a navigable river.
2.
Lake Koshkonong is a natural widening of the Rock River located about 6
miles upstream of the dam, which has been raised by the Indianford Dam.
3.
The Indianford Dam consists of a slide gate section consisting of six
slide gates on the east bank, a 227-foot long concrete, fixed-crest spillway
with an average crest elevation of 775.2 msl and a powerhouse on the west bank
containing two wicket gates.
4.
Rock County currently owns the Indianford Dam and proposes to transfer
ownership to the Rock Koshkonong Lake District (the ‘District’).
5.
On April 25, 1991, the department issued water level order 3-SD-82-809
governing the operation of the Indianford Dam.
6.
A US Geological Survey (USGS) gage has installed in Fort Atkinson on the
Rock River in October 1998 which is suitable for monitoring the incoming flow to
Lake Koshkonong in place of the continued use of the USGS gages on the Crawfish
River at Milford and the Rock River at Watertown.
7.
Debris collection on the trash racks protecting the wicket gages can
greatly reduce the dam’s capacity to pass flow.
8.
The Indianford Dam’s capacity to pass flow depends on the downstream
water levels. As the downstream
water levels, also called the tailwater, rises, the flow from the slide gates
and wicket gates decrease. The dam
submerges in floods resulting in the dam’s capacity being controlled by the
downstream channel during times of higher flow.
9.
The dam’s wicket gates have been repaired and are relatively easy to
operate. The District requested
that the gate operating sequence be changed to allow the wicket gates to be used
to regulate the dam’s discharge before the lift gates are operated.
10. This
revised water level order does not change the target, maximum or minimum water
levels on Lake Koshkonong, or the dates these levels are applicable or the flow
capacity of the Indianford Dam.
11. The
department has conferred with the parties to these proceeding of Docket No.
3-SD-82-809. If any party
determines that a review of the operating regime is necessary, they should
contact the Department of Natural Resources and Rock Koshkonong Lake District
requesting such a review.
CONCLUSION OF LAW
The
Department has authority under Section 31.02, Wis. Stats. to set flows and
levels at a dam.
ORDER
THE
DEPARTMENT ORDERS:
1.
This amended order supersedes water level order 3-SD-82-809 dated April
25, 1991. The water levels and
operation requirements for the Indianford Dam are continued by this amended
order.
2.
From May 1 through October 31 the following water levels and dam
operation shall be in effect:
A.
Minimum lake elevation
775.73 feet, MSL
B.
Maximum lake elevation
776.33 feet, MSL
C.
Power generation is not allowed when the lake elevation is below
775.73 feet, MSL.
D.
Subject to the provisions of 1.E., 1.F. and 1.G., the dam owner shall
attempt to maintain the lake level as close to 776.20 feet, MSL, as possible,
except after October 15 when the transition to the November 1 through April 30
lake level occurs.
E.
Three slide gates shall be fully opened (700 cfs calculated flow) and
shall remain open whenever the lake elevation exceeds 776.10 feet, MSL
F.
Six slide gates and the wicket gates shall be fully opened (2230 cfs
calculated flow at elevation 776.30) and shall remain open whenever the lake
elevation exceeds 776.33 feet, MSL
G.
In lieu of the requirement that the slide gate operations occur prior to
the wicket gate operation in 1.E. and F., the wicket gate operation can be
substituted providing that:
1)
The District provides a rating curve of stage and flow for the wicket
gate operation followed by slide gate operation similar to EXHIBIT 1 in
3-SD-82-809 dated April 25, 1991 and submits it to the department for review and
approval.
2)
The dam passes at least the equivalent of the slide gate flows required
in 1.E and F. with wicket gate operation.
3)
Within 4 hours after any gate changes, the District will post the wicket
gates’ opening settings on either its website or at a location convenient to
the public and approved by the department.
4)
The District will provided department staff access to the wicket gate
operations inside the powerhouse to confirm wicket gate settings within 1 hour
of the department’s request. The
District will provide the department with the contact information for access or
another means of confirming wicket gate settings as approved by the department.
H.
The District shall monitor the average daily flow of the Rock River at
the US Geological Survey gage at Fort Atkinson.
The intent of subparagraphs (1) and (2) is to establish minimum
performance standards to enable the operator of the dam to keep lake levels
within the established limits. Flow
releases described in subparagraphs (1) and (2) shall be accomplished by
operating the slide and wicket gates in accordance with the rating tables
prepared by the Department and incorporated by reference as Exhibit A or
additional rating curves approved by the department.
1)
Whenever the lake level is above 776.20 msl at the US Geological Survey
gage station on Lake Koshkonong and the Rock River average daily flow at Fort
Atkinson gage station has increased more than 200 cubic feet per second (cfs)
from the previous day, the dam operator shall release at least 1.2 times the
average daily flow measured at the Fort Atkinson gage station.
2)
Whenever the lake level is at or below 776.20 msl at the US Geological
Survey gage station on Lake Koshkonong and the Rock River average daily flow at
Fort Atkinson gage station has decreased over the four previous consecutive
days, the dam operator shall release no more than least 1.2 times the average
daily flow measured at the Fort Atkinson gage station.
I.
In lieu of 1.E, 1.F. and 1.G., the District may operate gates in any
sequence to accomplish the necessary flow,
provided a US Geological Survey acoustic gage is installed to replace the gage
at the Indianford Dam that measures and records
flow and stage through and over the dam.
3.
From November 1 through April 30, the following water levels and dam
operation shall be in effect:
A.
Minimum lake elevation
775.00 feet, MSL
B.
Maximum lake elevation
775.77 feet, MSL
C.
Power generation is not allowed when the lake level is lower than
775.00 feet, MSL.
D.
Six slide gates and the wicket gates shall be fully opened and remain
open when the lake level is higher than 775.77 feet, MSL.
4.
Beginning October 1, 2005, the District will to pay the local share of
the cost of operation of US Geological Survey gages at the Rock River at Fort
Atkinson, at Lake Koshkonong; and at the Indianford Dam.
5.
The slide gates shall be maintained in a condition that will allow all of
the gates to be opened or closed in four hours.
6.
The powerhouse, wicket gates and slide gates shall be maintained in an
operable condition and shall be used to achieve water levels and flows
established in this order regardless of whether or not power is generated by the
dam. The trash racks on the
powerhouse shall be cleaned on a daily basis when the wicket gates are passing
flow to maintain maximum flow through the powerhouse. Organic debris including leaves and woody vegetation can be
sluiced over the spillway. Waste
such as plastics, rubber and metal shall be removed from the rack and disposed
of at a proper solid waste facility.
7.
A minimum of 64 cubic feet per second shall be discharged through the dam
at all times.
8.
After installation, the tailwater gage shall be maintained in a readable
condition and replaced when necessary.
9.
The District will provide the Indianford Dam gate settings within four
hours on their website or communicated by email or facsimile to the department,
US Geological Survey, North American Hydro, City of
Janesville, Rock and Jefferson County upon their request.
10.
The District shall maintain a daily log of lake levels and gate
manipulations and make the log available to the department upon request.
STATE OF WISCONSIN DEPARTMENT OF
NATURAL RESOURCES
For
the Secretary
By
__________________________________
Date___________________
Susan
G. Josheff, PE, PH
Rock River Basin Engineer
Attachment
– Exhibit A, gate and turbine rating curve
3-SD-82-809-AMENDED
EXHIBIT
A
The following gate settings and associated
flows are the Department’s best flow estimates through the slide and wicket
gates as of the date of this order. These
flows are based on current USGS rating tables for the slide gates and
theoretical flow calculations through the wicket gates without
turbines/generators in place. This
exhibit will be revised after actual wicket gate calibrations become available
or turbines/generators are installed in the powerhouse.
DISCHARGE
(CFS) AT LAKE STAGE:
OPENINGS
776.1
776.2
776.3
3 GATES
700
800
860
4
GATES
850
900
960
5
GATES
925
1000
1060
6
GATES
1050
1100
1150
6
GATES and
25%
of #1 TURBINE
1150
1200
1300
6
GATES and
25%
of #1 TURBINE
25%
of #2 TURBINE
1300
1350
1425
6
GATES
and
50%
of #1 TURBINE
25%
of #2 TURBINE
1450
1500
1550
6
GATES and
50%
of #1 TURBINE
50%
of #2 TURBINE
1600
1650
1700
6
GATES and
75%
of #1 TURBINE
50%
of #2 TURBINE
1750
1770
1830
6
GATES and
75%
of #1 TURBINE
75%
of #2 TURBINE
1875
1925
1960
6
GATES and
100%
of #1 TURBINE
75%
of #2 TURBINE
2000
2050
2085
6
GATES and
100%
of #1 TURBINE
100%
of #2 TURBINE
2160
2190
2230
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