Mother Nature hasn't been kind to the Badger State this year. In February, record snowfall hamstrung much of the state for days.
Last weekend, a stalled weather system dumped record rainfall on the southern third of the state, causing rivers and streams to flood and an entire lake to drain.
Government officials are pledging to get the state's residents, businesses and tourism industry back on track as quickly as possible. It seems that's happening.
But this also is the same government that has shirked its duty to inspect dams every 10 years, as state law requires. At least four earthen dams have failed since last weekend, all not having been inspected since 1993.
Gov. Jim Doyle toured flood-drenched areas for a second day Wednesday after getting a call from President Bush. He said the president promised a quick response from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Bush stopped short of guaranteeing federal funds, but Doyle said he wasn't worried.
"I think there's no doubt that we meet any standard for disaster relief," the governor said.
The center of Wisconsin's tourism industry is the Wisconsin Dells/Lake Delton/Baraboo area. It's a vacation area that attracts 3 million visitors annually.
Unfortunately, the Lake Delton area was the hardest hit last weekend. Lake Delton drained, leaving 20 resorts along the lake reeling. This area is vital, and the lake must be restored.
Tourism is crucial to Wisconsin's economy, and even more so to the livelihood of those in the Dells and Baraboo region.
Visitors spend $1 billion there annually. The sooner Mother Nature offers a reprieve and work can begin to refill Lake Delton, the better.
And the sooner taxpayers and government officials take serious the need to invest in regular inspections and maintenance of dams, bridges and other infrastructure, the safer and more secure all of us will be.
Last weekend, a stalled weather system dumped record rainfall on the southern third of the state, causing rivers and streams to flood and an entire lake to drain.
Government officials are pledging to get the state's residents, businesses and tourism industry back on track as quickly as possible. It seems that's happening.
But this also is the same government that has shirked its duty to inspect dams every 10 years, as state law requires. At least four earthen dams have failed since last weekend, all not having been inspected since 1993.
Gov. Jim Doyle toured flood-drenched areas for a second day Wednesday after getting a call from President Bush. He said the president promised a quick response from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Bush stopped short of guaranteeing federal funds, but Doyle said he wasn't worried.
"I think there's no doubt that we meet any standard for disaster relief," the governor said.
The center of Wisconsin's tourism industry is the Wisconsin Dells/Lake Delton/Baraboo area. It's a vacation area that attracts 3 million visitors annually.
Unfortunately, the Lake Delton area was the hardest hit last weekend. Lake Delton drained, leaving 20 resorts along the lake reeling. This area is vital, and the lake must be restored.
Tourism is crucial to Wisconsin's economy, and even more so to the livelihood of those in the Dells and Baraboo region.
Visitors spend $1 billion there annually. The sooner Mother Nature offers a reprieve and work can begin to refill Lake Delton, the better.
And the sooner taxpayers and government officials take serious the need to invest in regular inspections and maintenance of dams, bridges and other infrastructure, the safer and more secure all of us will be.
