Panis dam
Panis
Panis, Joe Jr. is a privately-owned dam located in Wisconsin, specifically in Dickinson, Michigan near the TR Spikehorn Creek. Built in 1967 by the USDA NRCS, this earth dam stands at 17 feet high and has a hydraulic height of 7 feet. With a primary purpose of recreation, the dam offers a storage capacity of 200 acre-feet and covers a surface area of 3 acres. It has a drainage area of 1.3 square miles and a maximum discharge of 50 cubic feet per second.
Despite its recreational significance, Panis, Joe Jr. poses a high hazard potential and has a moderate risk assessment rating of 3. The dam has not been rated for its condition assessment and last underwent inspection in October 2012. It is regulated by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and falls under state jurisdiction with permitting, inspection, and enforcement processes in place. Additionally, the dam lacks an Emergency Action Plan (EAP) and inundation maps, raising concerns about its emergency preparedness and risk management measures.
For water resource and climate enthusiasts, the data on Panis, Joe Jr. presents an opportunity to explore the intersection of infrastructure, environmental regulation, and public safety. Understanding the complexities of managing a privately-owned dam like Panis, Joe Jr. can shed light on the challenges of balancing recreational benefits with potential hazards and the importance of robust risk assessment and emergency preparedness protocols in safeguarding communities and water resources.
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 Panis -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Menominee River At Niagara | 2,950 cfs | → |
| Menominee River Near Vulcan | 3,370 cfs | → |
| Menominee River At Twin Falls Near Iron Mt | 3,420 cfs | → |
| Pine River Below Pine R Powerplant Nr Florence | 452 cfs | → |
| Menominee River Below Pemene Creek Near Pembine | 3,520 cfs | → |
| Menominee River Near Florence | 2,130 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Panis.
Boat launches
- Hanbury Lake Road Norway
- River Road Norway Township
- Little Quinnesec Falls Flowage -- Access Niagara
- Lake Mary Drive South Waucedah Township
- Waucedah Road Waucedah
- Lake Antoine Bike Path Dickinson County
Campgrounds
- Summer Breeze Campground
- River Bends Campground
- New Prospect - Kettle Moraine State Forest
- Gene's Pond State Forest Campground
- Twelve Foot Falls County Park
- Glidden Lake State Forest Campground
Fishing spots
Paddle runs
- Brule Lake In Ne1/4 Sec 15, T41n, R13e To Forest Boundary In Se1/4 Sec 31, T41n, R17e
- Forest Road 2398 To Eastern Forest Boundary
- Mainstem, Easternforest Boundary In Sec 1, T44n, R35w To City Of Crystal Falls
- Forest Road 2156 To Eastern Forest Boundary
- South Branch--Origin In Sec 25, T38n, R14e To Confluence With Main Branch
- Confluence With Armstrong Creek To Sec 12/13 Line, T35n, R16e
Track Panis 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 Panis
Where does the data for Panis 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 Panis.