Wright dam
Wright
Wright, also known as Taliesin, is a private water resource located in Iowa, Wisconsin, along the Lowery Creek. The dam, completed in 1912, serves a primary purpose of recreation and stands at a height of 13 feet with a length of 660 feet. Despite its historical significance, the dam is currently in poor condition with a low hazard potential, prompting concerns about its structural integrity and safety.
Managed by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WIDNR), Wright is subject to state regulations, permitting, inspection, and enforcement to ensure compliance with safety standards. The dam's storage capacity is 60 acre-feet, with a normal storage of 40 acre-feet and a surface area of 10 acres. The spillway type is uncontrolled, and the dam's risk assessment categorizes it as moderate, indicating potential risks associated with its current condition.
Given its poor condition and moderate risk assessment, Wright's future maintenance and rehabilitation efforts are crucial to ensure the safety of the surrounding community and the preservation of this historic water resource. Climate and water resource enthusiasts should monitor updates on the dam's condition, regulatory oversight, and any planned risk management measures to safeguard its long-term sustainability and functionality for recreational purposes.
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 Wright -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Black Earth Creek At Black Earth | 51 cfs | → |
| Wisconsin River At Muscoda | 10,400 cfs | → |
| Brewery Creek-Upstream Site-At Cross Plains | 2 cfs | → |
| East Br Pecatonica River Near Blanchardville | 183 cfs | → |
| Pheasant Branch At Airport Road Nr Middleton | 2 cfs | → |
| Pheasant Branch At Middleton | 3 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Wright.
Boat launches
- Wisconsin River -- Pecks Landing
- Wisconsin River -- Hwy 14 Boat Landing
- Helen Lake -- Landing
- Sneed Creek At High Point Rd
- Bakkens Pond -- Launch
- Wisconsin River -- Otter Creek Landing
Campgrounds
- Tower Hill State Park Campground
- Tower Hill State Park
- Twin Valley Campground
- Governor Dodge State Park
- Governor Dodge State Park Campground
- Avoca Lakeside City Campground
Paddle runs
- Lone Rock To The Confluence Of The Green And Wisconsin Rivers
- Honey Creek (County Road Y On The Southern Bank) To The State Route 130 Highway Bridge Crossing At Lone Rock
- The Big Green River To The River's Mouth At The Mississippi River
More reservoirs
Track Wright 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 Wright
Where does the data for Wright 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 Wright.