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Flood Waters Begin To Recede At Portage; Road Closures Remain, Well Water Testing Offered
Flood waters covering Lake Road, south of the Blackhawk neighborhood, which was completely flooded out and was accessible only by boat.
Photo credit: Wisconsin DNR
PORTAGE, Wis. – The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) announced the Wisconsin River at Portage peaked at 20.47 feet in the afternoon yesterday, April 17, 2026, nearly reaching the highest water level on record of 20.66 feet. While the river level did not set a new record and currently rests at 19.9 feet, it did impact several areas of the Caledonia-Lewiston levee, prompting the evacuation of the Blackhawk neighborhood, and raised enough concern to sandbag a 2-mile stretch of I-39 at the Highway 33 exit.
As DNR officials continue to monitor water levels and assess levee impacts over the next several days, some roads will remain closed for public safety and to prevent further damage to levee structures. Check road closure status on Columbia County's Emergency Management webpage under Road Closures.
Lake Road and the southernmost stretch of Blackhawk Road experienced some of the most severe flooding. Many residences along both roads were accessible only by boat, prompting the request to activate Wisconsin Taskforce 1-Urban Search and Rescue (WI-TF1), a Type 1 Swift Water Rescue Team based at Volk Field. WI-TF1 evacuated one resident, contacted 164 other individuals and identified 6 blocked routes.
Due to the prolonged duration of floodwaters in residential areas, Columbia County Health and Human Services is offering well-water testing for impacted wells. Visit Columbia County's website or call 608-742-9227 for information.
For residents seeking assistance, a reception center remains open at Portage County City Hall until 4:30 p.m., or later as needed. For entry, ring the doorbell at attached Portage Fire Department or call the Emergency Operations Center at 608-745-5513.
The most current flooding information can be found on Columbia County's Emergency Management's webpage.
