Schramms dam
Schramms
Schramms, also known as Seeley Lake, is a privately owned dam located in Sauk County, Wisconsin. Built in 1850, this rockfill structure stands at a height of 11 feet and spans 170 feet in length, creating a reservoir with a storage capacity of 180 acre-feet. The dam serves primarily for recreational purposes, offering a surface area of 49.4 acres for activities such as fishing, boating, and wildlife observation.
Despite its age, Schramms has a fair condition assessment and a low hazard potential, indicating that it is currently stable and poses minimal risk to downstream areas. The dam is under state regulation by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, with regular inspections and enforcement measures in place to ensure its safety and compliance with regulatory standards. In the event of an emergency, the dam has an uncontrolled spillway with a width of 160 feet to manage excess water flow.
In conclusion, Schramms is a historic dam with a moderate risk assessment rating due to its age and potential for hazards. However, with proper maintenance and oversight, this structure continues to provide valuable recreational opportunities for the community while operating within regulatory guidelines to ensure public safety and environmental protection.
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 Schramms -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Baraboo River Near Baraboo | 385 cfs | → |
| Wisconsin River Near Wisconsin Dells | 9,040 cfs | → |
| Black Earth Creek At Black Earth | 51 cfs | → |
| Brewery Creek-Upstream Site-At Cross Plains | 2 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 Schramms.
Boat launches
- Baraboo River -- North Freedom - Access
- Baraboo River -- Heath Hatchery Road Access
- Devils Lake -- State Park
- Baraboo River -- Glenville Landing
- Leland Millpond -- Access
- Mirror Lake -- Access Off Lakeview Rd
Campgrounds
- Devil’S Lake State Park Campgrounds
- Dell Boo Campground
- Mirror Lake State Park
- Bluewater Bay Campground
- Sandstone Ridge Campground
- Cliffwood Campground
Track Schramms 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 Schramms
Where does the data for Schramms 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 Schramms.