Worst of flooding is over after record-setting rainfall
The slow-moving system that drenched southeast Wisconsin on Sunday lingered over the area Monday as flood-stage rivers crested and residents waited for the waters to retreat.
Sunday’s persistent downpours turned into light showers Monday, and while widespread damage was minimal, some roads across the area remained underwater Monday. Several sewerage districts directed overflows into Lake Michigan and the Milwaukee River as record-breaking rainfalls overwhelmed systems.
Lakeshore communities north of Milwaukee saw the heaviest rainfall — as much as 7 inches near Sheboygan — as strong winds whipped up Lake Michigan waves. Drone footage from Port Washington, taken Sunday, shows lake water surging into the downtown streets.
Crews were cleaning up mud, silt and debris near Veterans Memorial Park there Monday.
Over-full rivers were still roiling Monday as many of them were set to reach their crests with the additional rainfall.
Some waters had overtaken nearby roads or parks, prompting closures. But the threat of additional flooding had diminished by the evening.
The Milwaukee River in Cedarburg, as well as the Root River in Franklin and the Fox River in Waukesha, were all at flood-stage Monday and hit their peaks throughout the day.
The Sheboygan River in Sheboygan, the only local river at moderate floodstage, reached a peak of 11.08 feet — the same crest recorded in the historic June 2008 flooding.
Even without thunder and lightning, the rainstorms dumped an impressive amount of rain on the area. The National Weather Service’s rainfall totals included: Belgium and Plymouth, 7 inches; Random Lake, 6.5 inches; New Berlin, 4.8 inches; Mequon, 4.5 inches; West Allis, 4.3 inches; and Wauwatosa, 3.8 inches.
A reading of 2.99 inches of rain Sunday at Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport smashed a daily record from the year 2000 of 1.7 inches.
Facing a sudden onset of rainwater, the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District started a combined sewer overflow into Lake Michigan Sunday afternoon. It also issued a water drop alert, asking residents to use less water in their homes to minimize stress on the system.
Several North Shore communities also released wastewater into the Milwaukee River and Lake Michigan, including: Shorewood, Bayside, Fox Point and Brown Deer.