Hartford dam
Hartford
Hartford, a local government-owned dam located in Washington, Wisconsin, serves as a vital recreational resource along the Rubicon River. Built in 1844, this Gravity dam stands at a height of 13.7 meters and has a length of 290 meters, providing a storage capacity of 50 acre-feet. The dam's primary purpose is for recreation, offering a surface area of 11 acres for water activities.
Despite its age, Hartford dam has a low hazard potential and is currently in fair condition, last assessed in May 2020. The dam has a controlled spillway type and a maximum discharge capacity of 575 cubic feet per second. While the risk assessment indicates a very high risk level, it is assigned a risk rating of 1, suggesting effective risk management measures in place. With state regulation, permitting, inspection, and enforcement, Hartford dam is maintained to ensure public safety and continued recreational use.
Hartford dam's historical significance, combined with its role in water resource management and climate resilience, highlights the importance of preserving this iconic structure. As climate change impacts water systems, ensuring the safety and functionality of dams like Hartford becomes crucial in safeguarding communities and ecosystems. Through ongoing monitoring, maintenance, and risk management efforts, Hartford dam continues to provide recreational opportunities while upholding its role in water resource management for the region.
Dam data reference
Condition Assessment
- Satisfactory
- No existing or potential dam safety deficiencies are recognized. Acceptable performance is expected under all loading conditions (static, hydrologic, seismic) in accordance with the minimum applicable state or federal regulatory criteria or tolerable risk guidelines.
- Fair
- No existing dam safety deficiencies are recognized for normal operating conditions. Rare or extreme hydrologic and/or seismic events may result in a dam safety deficiency. Risk may be in the range to take further action.
- Poor
- A dam safety deficiency is recognized for normal operating conditions which may realistically occur. Remedial action is necessary. POOR may also be used when uncertainties exist as to critical analysis parameters which identify a potential dam safety deficiency.
- Unsatisfactory
- A dam safety deficiency is recognized that requires immediate or emergency remedial action for problem resolution.
- Not Rated
- The dam has not been inspected, is not under state or federal jurisdiction, or has been inspected but, for whatever reason, has not been rated.
Hazard Potential Classification
- High
- Dams assigned the high hazard potential classification are those where failure or mis-operation will probably cause loss of human life.
- Significant
- Dams assigned the significant hazard potential classification are those dams where failure or mis-operation results in no probable loss of human life but can cause economic loss, environmental damage, disruption of lifeline facilities, or impact other concerns. Significant hazard potential classification dams are often located in predominantly rural or agricultural areas but could be in areas with population and significant infrastructure.
- Low
- Dams assigned the low hazard potential classification are those where failure or mis-operation results in no probable loss of human life and low economic and/or environmental losses. Losses are principally limited to the owner's property.
- Undetermined
- Dams for which a downstream hazard potential has not been designated or is not provided.
Plan around the weather
Same NOAA / yr.no feed Snoflo's iOS app uses. Watch the precipitation column on the meteogram -- rain on the basin upstream typically lifts inflow 24-72 hours later.
Next 5 days, hour by hour
Temperature line with weather symbols on top, snow + rain accumulation as columns, humidity as a dotted line.
5-day forecast table
Every 3 hours, broken out across temperature, snow, rain, humidity, and wind. Each cell is colour-coded relative to the column min/max.
| Time | Condition | Temp (°F) | Snow (in) | Rain (in) | Humidity (%) | Wind (mps) | Wind dir |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loading detailed forecast… | |||||||
15-day temperature & precipitation
Daily temperatures, snow, and rain projected over the next two weeks.
Nearby streamflow gauges
USGS streamgauges around Hartford -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Rock River At Horicon | 621 cfs | → |
| Bark River At Nagawicka Road At Delafield | 45 cfs | → |
| Menomonee River At Menomonee Falls | 11 cfs | → |
| East Branch Rock River Near Mayville | 43 cfs | → |
| Little Menomonee River Near Freistadt | 5 cfs | → |
| Rock River At Watertown | 1,580 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Hartford.
Boat launches
- Pike Lake - Landing #3 On Lake Drive
- Druid Lake -- Access
- Neosho Millpond/Rubican River -- Neosho Park
- Big Cedar Lake -- Ramp - Off Boettcher Dr
- Wild Marsh Landing
- Little Cedar Lake -- Access Off County Hwy Z - Northern Of Two Landings
Track Hartford in the Snoflo app
Save this dam as a favorite and get the local NOAA / yr.no forecast plus regional flow context wherever you are.
About Hartford
Where does the data for Hartford come from?
Structural and regulatory data come from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' National Inventory of Dams (NID). Weather forecast comes from NOAA / yr.no -- the same feed Snoflo's iOS app uses.
How often is the report updated?
NID structural data refreshes annually as the Corps publishes updated assessments. The weather forecast refreshes throughout the day.
What does the Low hazard rating mean?
The Corps of Engineers' hazard potential classification grades probable consequences if the dam fails: High = probable loss of human life; Significant = no probable loss of human life but possible economic loss / environmental damage; Low = no probable loss of human life, only minor economic / environmental losses. See the Dam Data Reference card above for the full definitions.
What's "% of normal"?
The current storage value compared to the historical average storage on this calendar day. 100% = right on average; values above 100% mean above-normal storage (wet year); values below mean below-normal (dry year or drought).
Can I get alerts when storage crosses a threshold?
Yes -- alerts are managed in the Snoflo iOS app. Favorite this dam, set a threshold, and you'll get a push the moment conditions cross.
Other water bodies near here
Snoflo-tracked reservoirs and dams within driving distance of Hartford.