Estabrook Park dam
Estabrook Park
Estabrook Park, located in Shorewood, Wisconsin, is a recreational haven nestled along the beautiful Milwaukee River. This park boasts a historic gravity dam that was completed in 1940, standing at 15 feet tall and stretching 562 feet in length. The dam serves as a key feature for water enthusiasts and climate advocates to marvel at, providing both structural and hydraulic benefits to the surrounding area.
Despite its age, the dam at Estabrook Park is considered to have low hazard potential but is in poor condition, as evidenced by a 2017 assessment. However, the risk assessment for the dam is classified as very high due to its critical role in managing water levels and potential flooding in the region. With a normal storage capacity of 200 acre-feet and a maximum discharge of 25,800 cubic feet per second, the dam plays a crucial role in regulating the flow of the Milwaukee River and protecting the park and surrounding communities.
Visitors to Estabrook Park can explore the park's 103-acre surface area, engage in recreational activities, and appreciate the engineering marvel of the gravity dam. As climate change continues to pose challenges to water resources, the preservation and maintenance of structures like the dam at Estabrook Park are essential for ensuring the safety and sustainability of this vital waterway and the surrounding environment.
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 Estabrook Park -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Milwaukee River At Milwaukee | 427 cfs | → |
| Lincoln Creek At Sherman Boulevard At Milwaukee | 1 cfs | → |
| Milwaukee R @ Jones Island Mouth-At Milwaukee | 94 cfs | → |
| Menomonee River At Wauwatosa | 33 cfs | → |
| Honey Creek At Wauwatosa | 4 cfs | → |
| Little Menomonee River At Milwaukee | 19 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Estabrook Park.
Boat launches
- East Wright Street Milwaukee
- Lakeshore State Park, Milwaukee
- Kinnickinnic River -- River Front
- South Main Street 136, Thiensville
- Milwaukee River -- Thiensville Boat Ramp
- North Island Drive Mequon
Campgrounds
- Camp Ammon
- Naga-Waukee County Park Campground
- Pinewoods Campground
- Phantom Ranch Bible Camp
- Mukwonago County Park Campground
- Ottawa Lake Campground
Fishing spots
Track Estabrook Park 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 Estabrook Park
Where does the data for Estabrook Park 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 Estabrook Park.