Many Wisconsin dams in need of updates

There are thousands of dams in Wisconsin, and it’s up to dam operators to keep them up and running properly. 

Last year, Wisconsin ranked second worst in the nation for dam failures. 

Gubernatorial candidate and Congressman Tom Tiffany has made his experience as a dam tender a central part of his campaigns.

When asked by WXCO about dam safety last month, Tiffany said dams should be repaired when they need it. 

“I think that for too long, both local and state government have taken a detour in taking care of the basics, making sure that our infrastructure is fixed,” Tiffany said. “Dams are one of them. We should make sure that they are getting fixed.”

Uriah Monday is the state Dam Safety Engineer. He said dams can be owned by a variety of entities, including state, federal, and private owners. 

“Dams get inspected on a certain regular rotation, and the requirements for maintenance or repair that come out of those inspections are the things that owners really need to stay up on so that dams stay in good shape,” he said.

According to a report released last year from the American Society of Civil Engineers, Wisconsin dams received a C plus grade in operational health.

Monday said he would characterize Wisconsin’s dam infrastructure as aging but reasonably tended.  

“Most dams need some kind of work on them, and that costs money,” he said.

The report says several hundred of the approximately 1,000 largest dams have greatly exceeded their design life of 50 to 75 years and need rehabilitation. 

The Association of State Dam Safety Officials (ASDSO) estimate $1.75 billion as the total cost to rehabilitate Wisconsin’s dams rated in less than satisfactory condition and $380 million for those with high-hazard potential.

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