LITTLE CHUTE (NBC26) -- The recent rain we've had continues to cause problems in Northeast Wisconsin especially on the Fox River. The water level is high and moving fast.
Chad Shaw with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers said every autumn, they drain water out of Lake Winnebago to make room for extra water after the spring thaw. With the record rain, however, they have even more water to remove from Lake Winnebago. As the draining begins, the water is flowing faster and higher down the Fox River.
This can lead to potentially dangerous situations for those visiting the Fox.
"You can get into the draw of a dam before you realize you're into that area, and with the current being so strong at this point, it can be near impossible to paddle away from the dam," said Shaw.
The nonprofit organization Northeast Wisconsin Paddlers has its Appleton Locks Paddle set for this Saturday, but some changes had to be made to the route because of the flow of the river. Leaders in the group wanted to make sure all the paddlers are safe.
"As a nonprofit organization focused on safe paddling sports, we are very careful to set up events that we think are as safe as they can be," said Jeff Mazanec, the president of Northeast Wisconsin Paddlers.
Mazanec added that they will be launching at Sunset Park and ending there to avoid the locks they would pass on the original route. He said he believes it would be too risky to go near the dams.
Shaw said he expects this to last several weeks.
