Dates Mill dam
Dates Mill
Dates Mill, located in Columbia, Wisconsin, is a privately owned dam on the French Creek that serves primarily for recreational purposes. Built in 1958, this gravity dam stands at a height of 12 feet and has a storage capacity of 390 acre-feet. With a normal storage capacity of 190 acre-feet and a surface area of 96 acres, Dates Mill provides a scenic and tranquil setting for water resource and climate enthusiasts to explore and enjoy.
Despite its low hazard potential and fair condition assessment, Dates Mill poses a very high risk due to its location and design. The dam has a controlled spillway type and a maximum discharge of 17 cubic feet per second. While it has not been significantly modified over the years, the dam undergoes inspections every 10 years to ensure its continued safety and reliability. The regulatory oversight by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources includes permitting, inspection, and enforcement to ensure compliance with state regulations.
For water resource and climate enthusiasts, Dates Mill offers a unique opportunity to witness the intersection of human-made infrastructure and natural water systems. With its historical significance and recreational value, this dam on the French Creek serves as a reminder of the delicate balance between human development and environmental conservation. As interest in sustainable water management grows, sites like Dates Mill provide valuable insights into the challenges and opportunities of managing water resources in a changing climate.
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 Dates Mill -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Baraboo River Near Baraboo | 385 cfs | → |
| Fox River At Princeton | 1,120 cfs | → |
| Wisconsin River Near Wisconsin Dells | 9,040 cfs | → |
| White Creek @ Spring Grove Road Nr Green Lake | 6 cfs | → |
| Green Lake Inlet At Ct Highwy A Near Green Lake | 67 cfs | → |
| Puchyan River Ds N. Lawson Drive Nr Green Lake | 115 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Dates Mill.
Boat launches
- Fox River Road Town Of Buffalo
- Swan Lake -- Public Boat Access
- Park Lake -- Access
- Park Lake -- Access At Dead End Town Road Off Island Dr
- Spring Lake -- Access
- Park Lake -- Access - Off Hwy 44
Campgrounds
- Indian Trails Campground
- Veterans Memorial Field - Portage
- Crooked River Campground
- Shiloh
- Gettysburg
- Concord And Lexington
Track Dates Mill 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 Dates Mill
Where does the data for Dates Mill 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 Dates Mill.