Sarazin dam
Sarazin
Sarazin, also known as Sarazin Family Plymouth Limit, is a privately owned dam located in Juneau, Wisconsin, along the TR-BREWER CREEK. Built in 1969 by the USDA NRCS, this earth dam stands at a height of 27.4 feet and serves the primary purpose of flood risk reduction. With a normal storage capacity of 13 acre-feet and a maximum discharge of 45 cubic feet per second, Sarazin plays a crucial role in managing water flow in the area.
Despite its low hazard potential, Sarazin's condition assessment is rated as poor, indicating a need for maintenance and improvements. The dam's inspection frequency is set at 10 years, with the last inspection conducted in November 2019. The risk assessment for Sarazin is classified as moderate, with a risk level of 3 out of 5. While the dam meets state regulatory requirements and undergoes regular inspections, there are opportunities for enhancing its emergency action plan and risk management measures to ensure the safety and efficiency of this important water resource infrastructure.
As water resource and climate enthusiasts, understanding the intricacies of Sarazin's design, purpose, and overall condition can shed light on the challenges and opportunities in managing water resources in Wisconsin. With its historical significance and functional importance in flood risk reduction, Sarazin serves as a reminder of the critical role that dams play in safeguarding communities and ecosystems against water-related hazards. By staying informed and actively engaging in discussions around dam safety and water management, enthusiasts can contribute to the sustainable stewardship of Sarazin and other vital water infrastructure in the region.
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 Sarazin -- inflows here typically show up in storage 24-72 hours later.
| Streamgauge | Discharge | View |
|---|---|---|
| Lemonweir River At New Lisbon | 326 cfs | → |
| Yellow River At Necedah | 253 cfs | → |
| Kickapoo River At State Highway 33 At Ontario | 149 cfs | → |
| Wisconsin River Near Wisconsin Dells | 9,040 cfs | → |
| Kickapoo River At La Farge | 250 cfs | → |
| La Crosse River At Sparta | 209 cfs | → |
Make a day of it
Boat launches, lakeside camping, fishing access, and other reservoirs near Sarazin.
Boat launches
- Beach Street 199, Mauston
- Little Yellow River/Wisconsin River -- Access
- Castle Rock Lake -- Buckhorn Wildlife Area- Nr Cty G
- Castle Rock Lake -- County Park Access (Juneau Co)
- Castle Rock Lake -- Buckhorn State Park - Nr 19th (Juneau Co)
- Field Veterans Memorial Lake Boat Ramp
Campgrounds
- Elroy Campground
- Schultz City Park
- Riverside Park - New Lisbon
- Kennedy County Park
- Kennedy Park
- Wonewoc Legion Park
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 Sarazin 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 Sarazin
Where does the data for Sarazin 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 Sarazin.