Release Dates
2024 release dates:
- Saturday, June 15th – River flow is estimated to be approximately 5,200 cfs on Saturday, June 15th, 2024. No advanced request notification was received in accordance with the procedures listed below; therefore, there will be NO scheduled flow release this Saturday, June 15th, 2024.
- Saturday, June 22nd – River flow is estimated to be approximately 6,300 cfs on Saturday, June 22nd, 2024. No advanced request notification was received in accordance with the procedures listed below; therefore, there will be NO scheduled flow release this Saturday, June 22nd, 2024.
- Saturday, September 28th – River flow is estimated to be approximately 3,300 cfs on Saturday, September 28th, 2024. No advanced request notification was received in accordance with the procedures listed below; therefore, there will be NO scheduled flow release this Saturday, September 28th, 2024.
- Saturday, October 5th – Flows recorded at Rapide Croche are currently at approximately 2,800 cfs with no anticipated increase or lake adjustments; therefore, the flows are below the 3,000 cfs minimum flow criteria for the whitewater flow release. In accordance with the FERC license requirements for the Badger Hydroelectric Plant, there will be NO scheduled flow release this Saturday, October 5th, 2024.
2025 Release Dates:
Saturday, June 21st
Saturday, June 28th
Saturday, September 27th
Saturday, October 4th
U.S. KAUKAUNA DAM TAINTER GATE SPILLWAY FLOW RELEASE
Kayak Access Gate
Kaukauna Utilities (KU) coordinates with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to provide four scheduled whitewater boating flow opportunities in the natural river channel below the Kaukauna Dam each year on the 3rd and 4th Saturday in June, last Saturday in September, and 1st Saturday in October in accordance with the following flow criteria:
- No release is required if the river flows calculated at Rapide Croche are below 3,000 cfs.
- When river flows at Rapide Croche are between 3,000 to 6,000 cfs, all flows will be diverted to the bypass, and Badger Hydro will be shut down.
- When river flows are above 6,000 cfs at Rapide Croche, Badger Hydro will have one or two units on line in an attempt to maintain a 6,000 cfs release to the bypass.
- One to two days prior to the scheduled release, KU will make an estimate of flows for the weekend, in consultation with the USACE, and determine which of the above scenarios will apply. This information will be posted on our website.
- KU will not monitor the releases with an on-site presence.
These releases (following the flow criteria above) require notification to KU via email or telephone call no more than 30 days prior and no later than 10:00 a.m. CDT the Friday before a scheduled event. If a notification is not received within the required notification window, the scheduled releases into the main river channel for whitewater boating will not be released.
If you choose to make an email notification, the email notification must be sent to both ops@ku-wi.org and zmoureau@ku-wi.org to request the release. If you choose to make a telephone notification, you must call KU System Operations at (920) 766-5988 and select option 4.
Total Feet of Gate Opening
Today’s Total Feet of Gate Opening at the U.S. Kaukauna Dam is:
20 Feet (Last updated on 11/20/24 11:05 am)
This number is reviewed daily and updated promptly after the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers makes changes to gate openings. *Please note – while the number is reviewed daily, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers does not necessarily change the gate openings daily. When there is a change in gate openings, it will be updated above.
Please note that 300 cfs is continuously released over the spillway for environmental enhancement.
Flow Release
The Chart below shows flow release in cubic feet per second (cfs) based on total feet of gate opening.
Flow release to the Fox River reach bypassed by the Kaukauna Utilities’ Badger Hydroelectric Project is provided through the 8 tainter gates of the U.S. Kaukauna Dam, which are owned and operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Tainter gates are adjusted in one-foot increments. Corps personnel immediately notify Kaukauna Utilities operators of adjustments, who promplty post changes in total gate opening to this web site. Under normal conditions, adjustments are made no more than once per day. Leakage through the gates when closed (0 feet) is approximately 10 cfs.
Flows may quickly change during storm events, spring thaw, and scheduled flow releases.
