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Lake Delton Back In Business

Ducks Tours Splash Into Lake

Updated: 8:54 pm CDT April 17,2009

Ten months after the water rushed out of Lake Delton, the Wisconsin Dells area attraction is back in business.

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Passengers on the Wisconsin Original Ducks tours splashed into the lake Thursday. They're among the first to enjoy the restored 264-acre lake.

"It's great that we're going again and the lake is almost full, and it's going to feel like a normal summer again," said Matt Oeftger, of the Wisconsin Original Ducks.

The popular amphibious tours were among tourism businesses affected when a series of storms caused the lake to swell June 9, causing a breach that drained the water in less than three hours and washed away five homes and part of a highway.

The breach and draining of Lake Delton forced the Ducks to make some changes.

"Our route changed a ton. We had to cut out the entire lake part where we used to come out of the river," said Brad Theisun, a Ducks driver.

But now the Ducks are back in business, with a new route.

"The Ducks is a great way to see the lake, as far as the improvements they've done to the dam, the lake and also the breach, you get to see the lower part of the breach and also the upper part," Oeftger said.

But just seeing the shoreline breach can be an emotional experience for some riders on the Wisconsin Original Ducks tours.

"Last year we saw on the news where the homes went into the water, so it's kind of neat to see how they fixed it up," said Ann Deverney, of West Bend.

The lake is about 2 feet from being fully refilled. It's expected to reach its original level by late May.

The lake has been a recreational draw for the Dells area, serving as a venue for water ski shows and a haven for fishermen.

This is the Ducks' 63rd year in business, and they'll be open until November.

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