But the water has receded in most areas now, and tourists are invited back with open arms.
The Wisconsin Dells was hard hit, especially with the flooding and subsequent draining of Lake Delton. The Dells Visitor and Conventions Bureau reassured tourists that 93 percent of businesses in the area remained open, along with all major roads.
"We're all trying to take a positive outlook to keep visitors coming," Andrea Novotny, spokeswoman for the iconic Tommy Bartlett Show, told the Associated Press.
That water skiing show, a Lake Delton mainstay for 56 years, re-opened but with stage acts only. Its 22 water skiers are out of jobs.
The Dells area, known for its 21 water parks, is home to a $1 billion tourism industry that attracts 3 million people each year. Sixteen small and medium-sized resorts and a handful of private rentals around the Lake Delton were affected by the flooding.
Southwest Wisconsin had a lot of flooding. Some roads remain closed, but the major routes through the area have re-opened.
Trout streams, a big attraction for the area, were damaged by the floods, but most are now back within their banks. While some trout are killed during floods, often the streams are cleaned of sludge and sediment by the water and the fish come back hungrier than ever.
Despite the aftermath of flooding, the Coon Creek Duck Races in Vernon County were held on June 21. The rubber duckies had a little more water to navigate than in some past years.
Several scheduled events this weekend still are being held. The Star Spangled Celebration, featured on OnMilwaukee.com last weekend, is going on in Richland Center.
S&S Cycle, a major manufacturer of customized motorcycle parts for Harleys and others, held its 50th anniversary celebration in La Farge and La Crosse. Thousands of cycle enthusiasts from around the world flocked to the event.
Riverfest in La Crosse, scheduled for July 2-6, is still on. So were several other festivals and events throughout the area.
Closer to Milwaukee, flooding in Jefferson and Rock counties forced the closing of several roads, including part of the I-system during the peak water times. Most of those roads were now back open.
Some state parks and trails had to be closed. Among them were Rocky Arbor, Devils Lake and Wildcat Mountain state parks. Parts of the Elroy-Sparta and 400 trails also were closed.
Crews were working to get all state parks and trails open. Interested persons should go here for the latest on conditions and closings.
The DNR also issued warnings about using caution when canoeing or boating in high waters.
For a while, Amtrak's Empire Builder service was interrupted in parts of the state, primarily because of flooding of tracks near Reedsburg and the Reeseville Marsh near Watertown.
Amtrak was providing bus service for some travelers stranded by the shutdown, but expected all lines to be open by this weekend. Go to www.amtrak.com for the latest on its service in the state.
Tourism officials around the state had some concerns that media coverage of the flooding would keep tourists away longer than necessary, as has happened in the past. Officials urge people to contact the Wisconsin Department of Transportation and local chambers and tourist organizations for updates on conditions.
State tourism secretary Kelli Trumble has been addressing any misconceptions and disinformation in regular Internet messages to those in the tourism industry and tourists. An example follows:
"Thankfully, the weather is on our side as many of the businesses affected by the flooding continue to roll up their sleeves to get back to 'business as usual.' To those not yet in a position to do so, our hearts go out to you and we are here for you.
"Statewide, some businesses were affected ... some were not. The challenge for all is the perception that 'everybody in Wisconsin is closed and everything has floated away.' While we know this is not the case, competitors from several surrounding states are capitalizing on that misperception.
I wanted to assure all of you that we are working on a post-flood marketing campaign. To help jump start business and send a clear message that 'Wisconsin is open for business,' we would like you to start thinking about a special offer for the month of July that would bring business to our state ... and to those who need it most."
Trumble said her department will work with state media and tourist agencies to get the word out on special post-flood promotions via the internet and other vehicles.
