| June 9, 2008: |
After torrential rains, Lake Delton breaks through its banks, completely draining into the Wisconsin River in less than three hours’ time.
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| June 10, 2008: |
Wisconsin National Guard engineers assess what equipment and supplies will be needed to begin repairs of Lake Delton.
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| June 12, 2008: |
Lake Delton officials deliberate the use of three options to restore Lake Delton and fix the breach of County Hwy A.
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| June 14, 2008: |
Hundreds of volunteers and dozens of contributors come together to help with the Lake Delton clean-up efforts. In addition, more than $3,000 is raised in cash donations, all which will be used for the lake restoration.
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| June 24, 2008: |
Lake Delton Village officials receive word the Wisconsin Department of Transportation will handle the repairs to the breach and County Hwy A, with the goal of restoring Lake Delton by Spring 2009.
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| July 19, 2008: |
The Wisconsin Department of Transportation develops a proposal to rebuild County Highway A and restore Lake Delton by Spring 2009.
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| July 21, 2008: |
Crews begin improvements to Lake Delton Dam to increase its capacity and to build new emergency spillways.
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| July 28, 2008: |
Work begins on a $1.8 million cofferdam at the County Hwy A breach of Lake Delton.
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| August 2, 2008: |
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources identified 89 sites, over a 24-mile span of the Wisconsin River, to be cleaned up after the breach of Lake Delton. Officials hope to have the river fully cleaned up by the end of September.
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| August 11, 2008: |
The projected three-year Lake Delton Fisheries Restoration Project announces that its first step, besides raising funds, will be to chemically treat the carp and other fish left in the lake bed when the Lake Delton Dam and the Mirror Lake Dam are closed in early December. In Spring 2009, approximately three million flathead, golden shiner and sucker fry minnows will be put in the lake.
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| August 11, 2008: |
The Village of Lake Delton receives a generous donation from the Tennessee-based Propex company for 5,000 square yards of its ArmorMax stabilization mat system to help control erosion near the dam.
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| August 20, 2008: |
The cofferdam in front of the County Highway A breach is finished. The dam was completed quickly because the State wanted to preserve the breach site from further damage by the elements. The coffer dam has stopped Dell Creek from flowing through the breach site; it is centered with steel pilings, surrounded by rock aggregate.
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| August 23, 2008: |
The Wisconsin River cleanup is off to a good start with 15,000 pounds of debris collected after nearly a week of work. Seven of the 89 debris sites along the river have been cleaned up.
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| August 29, 2008: |
Two local outdoor experts, Dan Small and Ben Hobbins, announce plans for a Lake Delton fish restoration project.
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| September 12, 2008: |
Crews have completed the cleanup of a 20-mile stretch of the Wisconsin River downstream from Lake Delton. Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Secretary Matt Frank said the Lower Wisconsin River now is safe for navigation and free of debris. Organizers said about 120 tons of debris was removed.
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| September 30, 2008: |
The Village of Lake Delton decides to spend additional monies to remove vegetation that has been growing in the dried-out lake bed.
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| September 4, 2008: |
Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle signs a $3.63 million contract for the reconstruction of County Highway A in Lake Delton.
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| September 7, 2008: |
Work begins on County Highway A.
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| October 11, 2008: |
The Lake Delton Dam improvements project is on schedule. The gates of the dam are expected to be closed in early December, with refilling of the lake to then begin in earnest. The improvements increase the dam's capacity by 214%, more than enough to accommodate a “thousand-year” storm event.
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| October 11, 2008: |
County Highway A reconstruction project is on schedule according to Wisconsin Department of Transportation officials. Plans are to have the roadway open to traffic in December. The State took over jurisdiction of the highway about a week after the lake drained and, once the work is complete, the road will be returned to Sauk County.
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| November 19, 2008: |
Mirror Lake Dam gates are opened temporarily, filling Lake Delton with just enough water to conduct a carp eradication program starting December 1.
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| November 26, 2008: |
County Highway A opens to traffic, allowing visitors and residents to circle the lake for the first time since June 9.
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| December 3, 2008: |
Gates on the Lake Delton Dam are closed, allowing water to begin refilling the lake basin. The lake level will be brought up to approximately seven feet for the winter. In the spring, between snow melt and rain, the lake will refill to an average depth of 12 feet.
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| December 5, 2008: |
Governor's Ribbon Cutting Ceremony
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| January 15, 2009: |
The water level in Lake Delton stands at approximately eight feet; a level achieved when gates at the Lake Delton Dam were lowered at the beginning of December. The lake had been filling at a rate of just about half a foot per day. The lake will remain at this level until spring, when snow melt and rain will help to refill the basin to its normal level.
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| April 3, 2009: |
Final work begins on the clay cap and at the base of the new earthen dam on County Highway A. The gates on the newly refurbished Lake Delton Dam are closed to allow water levels in the lake to rise and complete the refill process.
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| April 16, 2009: |
Today marked the first Duck sighting on Lake Delton in 10 months. The Original Wisconsin Ducks®, the WWII amphibious vehicles that take visitors for a land and water tour of Wisconsin Dells, splashed into Lake Delton today for the first time since the lake breached its shores last June and drained into the Wisconsin River. The other Duck tour company – Dells Army Duck Tours – plans to splashdown in the lake this weekend.
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| April 20, 2009: |
As part of the Lake Delton Fishing Restoration Project, nine million minnows were released into Lake Delton. The minnows are the first step in a three-year plan to revitalize the fish population for anglers everywhere.
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| April 28, 2009: |
Lake Delton is back! Less than one year (10 months) after torrential rains caused the lake to break through its banks and drain into the Wisconsin River, Lake Delton is back. At an average depth of 12 feet, the 264-acre man-made lake refill is complete just in time for residents and visitors alike to celebrate Memorial Day Weekend, the traditional start of the summer travel season, on its pristine waters.
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| June 9, 2009: |
Wisconsin Dells commemorates the one year anniversary of the Lake Delton breach. On June 9, 2008, after torrential rains, Lake Delton broke through its banks, completely draining into the Wisconsin River in less than three hours' time. Today, the entire Wisconsin Dells community celebrates the hard work, dedication and commitment that went into completing the rebirth of Lake Delton and to providing a revitalized resource that is more pristine, more boat-able, more swimmable and more fishable, for residents and visitors alike.
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