Flood in Wisconsin, June 17 to 18, 1996

Several rounds of heavy rains culminated in widespread rural farm land flooding across Dane county, as well as significant flooding in cites and villages. Flooding of small streams and creeks, and nearby lowland was reported. Several county roads flooded over with 1 to 3 feet of water, and some shoulder washouts and road closures were noted. Soil erosion was very common as farm fields flooded over. Retention ponds in housing developments over-flowed. Some of the larger lakes recorded their highest levels ever, as water pured into them from their drainage basins. For example, Lake Monona and Lake Kegonsa eventually reached new record levels on the 19th, while Lake Mendota came within 1 inch of equalling their all-time high water level. Cities that had significant flooding and damage were Cambridge, Black Earth, Brooklyn, Belleville, Cross Plains, De Forest, and Sun Prairie. Total rainfall from 0500CST on the 16th to 0500CST on the 18th ranged from 4 inches in the far western part of the county to around 8.25 inches in the Stoughton area.