Parfrey dam
Parfrey
Parfrey is a historic earth dam located in Richland Center, Wisconsin, completed in 1856 for the primary purpose of recreation. With a height of 19 feet and a hydraulic height of 11 feet, the dam holds a storage capacity of 290 acre-feet and serves a drainage area of 189 square miles. The dam spans 450 feet in length and has a surface area of 39 acres, making it a significant feature on the Pine River.
Although rated as having a low hazard potential and not yet assessed for condition, Parfrey poses a very high risk due to its age and the lack of recent inspections. The dam is regulated by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WIDNR) and has state permitting, inspection, and enforcement in place. Despite its risk level, the dam has not been rated for condition assessment, emergency action planning, or risk management measures, highlighting the need for proactive maintenance and monitoring to ensure the safety and integrity of this historic structure for water resource and climate enthusiasts.
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 Parfrey -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Wisconsin River At Muscoda | 10,400 cfs | → |
| Kickapoo River At La Farge | 250 cfs | → |
| Kickapoo River At Steuben | 631 cfs | → |
| Kickapoo River At State Highway 33 At Ontario | 149 cfs | → |
| Black Earth Creek At Black Earth | 51 cfs | → |
| Wisconsin River Near Wisconsin Dells | 9,040 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Parfrey.
Boat launches
- Wisconsin River -- Orion Boat Landing
- Wisconsin River -- Buena Vista Boat Landing
- Victora Riverside Park Landing
- Wisconsin River Muscoda Access
- Goodwiler Lake -- Landing
- Wisconsin River -- Eagle Corners Access
Campgrounds
- Pier Natural Bridge County Park
- Eagle Cave Campground
- Muscoda Campground
- Victoria Riverside Park - Muscoda
- Avoca Lakeside City Campground
- White Mound County Park Camping
Fishing spots
- Fishing Dock Handicapped Accessible
- Paint Creek
- Little Paint Creek
- New Albin Big Lake
- French Creek
- Buck Creek
Paddle runs
- Lone Rock To The Confluence Of The Green And Wisconsin Rivers
- The Big Green River To The River's Mouth At The Mississippi River
- Honey Creek (County Road Y On The Southern Bank) To The State Route 130 Highway Bridge Crossing At Lone Rock
- Western Boundary Of Effigy Mounds National Monument To Boundary Of Effigy Mounds National Monument
More reservoirs
Track Parfrey 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 Parfrey
Where does the data for Parfrey 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 Parfrey.