Upper Beaver Dam dam
Upper Beaver Dam
Upper Beaver Dam, located in Beaver Dam, Wisconsin, is a local government-owned earth dam on the Beaver Dam River that serves primarily for recreational purposes. Built in 1840, the dam stands at a height of 20 feet with a hydraulic height of 10 feet, and has a storage capacity of 57,000 acre-feet. The dam covers a surface area of 6,542 acres and has a drainage area of 157 square miles, with a maximum discharge capacity of 750 cubic feet per second.
Despite its age, Upper Beaver Dam has undergone modifications in 1913 and 2011 to ensure its structural integrity and functionality. The dam is classified as having a high hazard potential, but its condition was assessed as satisfactory as of January 2020. With its very high risk assessment rating, the dam is crucial to monitor and maintain to prevent any potential emergencies. The dam's inspection frequency is every two years, with the last inspection taking place in November 2019.
In the event of an emergency, the dam's emergency action plan (EAP) preparation status is currently unknown, highlighting the need for updated emergency contacts and inundation maps. Despite these challenges, Upper Beaver Dam remains a vital structure for the community, providing essential recreational opportunities and serving as a key component of water resource management in 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 Upper Beaver Dam -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Beaver Dam River At Beaver Dam | 189 cfs | → |
| Rock River At Horicon | 577 cfs | → |
| South Branch Rock River At Waupun | 104 cfs | → |
| West Branch Rock River @ State Hwy 49 Nr Waupun | 40 cfs | → |
| East Branch Rock River Near Mayville | 43 cfs | → |
| Rock River At Watertown | 1,050 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Upper Beaver Dam.
Boat launches
- Beaver Dam Lake -- Tahoe Park
- Beaver Dam Lake -- Waterworks Park
- Beaver Dam Lake -- Edgewater Park
- Beaver Dam Lake -- Access At Derge County Park
- Beaver Dam Lake -- Fish Camp Boat Launch
- Lost Lake -- Boat Ramp
Campgrounds
- Derge Park
- Wild Goose City Park
- Astico County Park Campground
- Ledge County Park Campground
- Harnischefeger Park
- Camp Grow
Paddle runs
More reservoirs
Track Upper Beaver Dam 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 Upper Beaver Dam
Where does the data for Upper Beaver Dam 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 High 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 Upper Beaver Dam.