Scott Williams, swilliams@wolfrivermedia.com
Leader Photo by Scott Williams The rain-swollen Wolf River, still near flood stage, creeps up the boat launch Friday at Huckleberry Harbor in downtown Shawano.
The Wolf River and other waterways in the Shawano area have been rising fast in recent days because of spring-like conditions and heavy rain.
The National Weather Service has issued flood warnings and other cautions, as rivers and creeks approach or exceed their flood stage in various locations throughout Northeastern Wisconsin.
As of Friday, the most serious situation regionally was along the Embarrass River in Waupaca County, where the water level had surpassed eight feet in elevation — more than one foot above flood stage.
No damage to buildings or other structures had been reported in the Embarrass area.
The Wolf River had stopped rising just short of its 11-foot flood stage in Shawano, although officials were still watching the river rise toward its banks Friday in Shiocton in Outagamie County.
Shawano County emergency management director Natalie Easterday said officials also were keeping an eye on weather forecasts for the potential of more rain that could worsen flood threats in the days ahead.
“If the situation calls for more response, we’ll gear up,” Easterday said.
Conditions began to deteriorate in recent weeks with an early seasonal thaw of snow and ice. That was followed by Tuesday’s rainstorm dumping as much as two inches of rain, which proved enough to fill up area rivers and creeks.
According to the National Weather Service, the Embarrass River crested Thursday at 8 feet 9 inches and remained above flood stage Friday at about 8 feet 4 inches.
The Wolf River in Shawano stood at 10 feet 6 inches, after cresting Thursday less than an inch below flood stage.
“It came very close,” said Sean Luchs, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Green Bay.
With a flood warning still active for the Embarrass area, including southern Shawano County, the weather service had not issued any warnings for the Wolf River in Shawano. Luchs, however, said he would caution people about fast-moving currents while the Wolf River recedes.
“It’s kind of slowly making its way down,” he said.
In the Shiocton area, the Wolf River was expected to crest sometime this weekend about 6 inches above its 12-foot flood stage. The river had already crested slightly above flood stage in New London and Royalton.
Easterday said the early spring thaw worked to Shawano’s benefit in a way, rather than having Tuesday’s rainstorm dump precipitation on top of frozen ground or packed-down snow.
“It could’ve been worse,” she said.
The weather service was forecasting relatively dry weather this weekend, followed by a chance of light rain early next week and another chance of rain later in the week.
Menominee County emergency management director Shelley Williams said she expected to see the Wolf River crest in her area by Friday, with no real threat of flooding unless “frazil ice” conditions clog the river.
Williams said she anticipated no significant problems.
“We certainly are seeing a lot of water,” she said, “but we actually should be in pretty good shape.”