Portage County flooded amid storms

PORTAGE COUNTY — After a week of storms that produced inches of rain, hail, and funnel clouds, Portage County experienced flooding.
Over the last month Portage County has experienced nearly two feet of snow in mid-March, an April 2 ice storm that left nearly half an inch of ice and thousands without power, and a series of thunderstorms that carried tornado potential over the last week.
The April 17 storm showed enough potential threat that schools announced early dismissals. Most of the severe weather on April 17 drifted north of Portage County, leaving Weston, Ringle, and Kroenenwetter residents cleaning up after an EF-3 tornado damaged or destroyed over 75 homes, according to Ringle law enforcement, but fortunately left no injuries.
With flooding plaguing much of the county throughout the week, Stevens Point closed portions of the Green Circle Trail and roads as a result. For example, the Westside Loop and West River Drive were temporarily closed due to flooding or the potential for flooding with close proximity to the Wisconsin River.
Much of Iverson Park was underwater for the week of April 13 to 17, leaving the city to close the park to vehicle traffic.
While in Plover, a berm in the Town of Hull experienced a failure which sent a large surge of water into the Plover River. As a result, the rushing water disabled a handful of utility poles that contributed to minor power outages.
With a few days of dry weather, flooding has begun to subside in much of Portage County but remains days to a week away from returning to normal levels.