Polk dam
Polk
Polk is a privately owned earth dam located in Sauk, Wisconsin, designed by USDA NRCS and completed in 1978 for flood risk reduction along the TR-PLUM CREEK. With a height of 24 feet and a length of 400 feet, Polk has a storage capacity of 75 acre-feet and serves to protect the surrounding area from potential flooding events. Despite its low hazard potential, the dam is currently assessed to be in poor condition, highlighting the need for maintenance and potential upgrades to ensure its continued effectiveness.
The dam is under state jurisdiction and regulated by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, with permitting, inspection, and enforcement processes in place to monitor its safety and compliance. While the risk assessment for Polk is moderate, with a score of 3, there is room for improvement in terms of condition assessment and risk management measures. Emergency action plans and inundation maps are not currently prepared, indicating a potential area for enhancement in emergency preparedness and response.
For water resource and climate enthusiasts, Polk presents an opportunity to explore the intersection of infrastructure, environmental protection, and community resilience. By learning more about the design, construction, and current condition of Polk, individuals can gain insights into the challenges and opportunities associated with managing water resources in a changing climate. Additionally, understanding the regulatory framework and risk assessment for dams like Polk can inform discussions on how to enhance dam safety and reduce the potential impact of flooding events on both natural ecosystems and human communities.
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 Polk -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Kickapoo River At State Highway 33 At Ontario | 149 cfs | → |
| Kickapoo River At La Farge | 250 cfs | → |
| Lemonweir River At New Lisbon | 326 cfs | → |
| Wisconsin River Near Wisconsin Dells | 9,040 cfs | → |
| Wisconsin River At Muscoda | 10,400 cfs | → |
| Yellow River At Necedah | 253 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Polk.
Boat launches
- Field Veterans Memorial Lake Boat Ramp
- Dutch Hollow Lake -- Access Nr Auble Landing Rd
- Dutch Hollow Lake -- Access Off Dutch Hollow Road
- Park Road 110, Cazenovia
- Hemlock Slough -- Access
- Lake Redstone -- Access At End Of Section 11 Rd
Campgrounds
- Baker's Field
- Legion Park Camp Sites
- Wonewoc Legion Park
- Schultz City Park
- Elroy Campground
- Pier Natural Bridge County Park
Fishing spots
Track Polk 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 Polk
Where does the data for Polk 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.