Lake Wingra dam
Lake Wingra
Lake Wingra, also known as Dead Lake Locks, is a charming recreational spot located in Madison, Wisconsin. Managed by the local government, this picturesque lake serves as a popular destination for water resource and climate enthusiasts. With a gravity dam type and a structural height of 8 feet, Lake Wingra was completed in 1930 and offers a serene surface area of 345 acres for visitors to enjoy.
The dam's primary purpose is for recreation, and it provides a storage capacity of 2600 acre-feet, with a normal storage level of 1600 acre-feet. The lake is fed by Murphy's Creek and has a drainage area of 6 square miles. Despite its low hazard potential, Lake Wingra is inspected regularly to ensure its safety, with the last assessment conducted in January 2020, resulting in a satisfactory condition assessment.
Surrounded by the natural beauty of Dane County, Lake Wingra offers a tranquil setting for outdoor activities such as boating, fishing, and birdwatching. Whether you're looking to relax by the water's edge or explore the surrounding trails, this hidden gem provides a peaceful retreat for nature enthusiasts seeking to connect with the environment and appreciate the importance of responsible water resource management 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 Lake Wingra -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Yahara River At East Main Street At Madison | 120 cfs | → |
| Spring Creek Near Waunakee | 8 cfs | → |
| Yahara River At Mc Farland | 132 cfs | → |
| Pheasant Branch At Middleton | 3 cfs | → |
| Yahara River At State Hwy 113 At Madison | 78 cfs | → |
| Pheasant Branch At Airport Road Nr Middleton | 2 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Lake Wingra.
Boat launches
- Brittingham Park Path Madison
- Lake Mendota -- Memorial Union
- Olin Park Boat Launch
- Lake Mendota -- Off Univ. Bay Dr.
- Law Park - Boat Launch
- Winnequah Boat Launch
Campgrounds
- Babcock County Park Campground
- Badger Prairie Park Dca
- Token Creek County Park
- Andersen Preserve Dca
- Springfield Hill Dca
- Eastern Lodi Marsh Dca
Paddle runs
- Honey Creek (County Road Y On The Southern Bank) To The State Route 130 Highway Bridge Crossing At Lone Rock
- Lone Rock To The Confluence Of The Green And Wisconsin Rivers
More reservoirs
Track Lake Wingra 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 Lake Wingra
Where does the data for Lake Wingra 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 Lake Wingra.