Turkey Creek DDCD has control actions in place to mitigate flooding on Wawasee, Syracuse and Papakeechie Lakes.

As spring unfolds, and heavy rainfall continues, our lakes continue to receive runoff from surrounding areas. In response, we have opened the flood control gates at the Huntington Street dam to release excess water while ensuring the safety of downstream areas like the Henry Street bridge. While this process is gradual, any rain respite will mitigate the heightened water levels, currently up by approximately 4.8 inches from the norm. Later this month, we’re taking proactive steps to enhance our monitoring capabilities.

The graphs below are data readings from monitoring equipment that was installed last winter.

The cumulative precipitation graph above shows rain from March 1, 2024, through April 3, 2024 represented by upward movement in the blue line. From March 26th, 2024, to April 3rd, 2024, a total of 2.78 inches of rain has been recorded. Source: Ecosystem Connections.

The jagged, blue line represents the current lake level from March 1, 2024, through April 3, 2024. The smoother, orange line indicates the average lake level on the respective date from 2019 to 2024. Source: Ecosystem Connections.

In late April, we will be installing updated water level gauges and flow-rate meters. These advancements will provide us with more precise data to guide our control structure operations.

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