Turtle Lake
Turtle Lake is a gravity dam located in Vilas County, Wisconsin, built in 1948. It carries a Low hazard potential classification and has a fair condition assessment.
About Turtle Lake
The primary purpose of Turtle Lake is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Town Of Winchester (local government). It impounds the Turtle River near Mercer.
The dam stands 8 feet tall and stretches 75 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 823 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 6,130 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 25 square miles. Completed in 1948, the structure is well-established, with more than 75 years of service.
This dam has a low hazard potential classification, meaning that failure would cause minimal damage, limited primarily to the dam owner's property, with no expected loss of life. Its condition is rated fair — the dam has minor deficiencies that are being addressed or do not pose an immediate safety threat. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 10/11/2013. That was over 12 years ago.
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Location
| State | Wisconsin |
| County | Vilas |
| Nearest City | Mercer |
| River/Stream | Turtle River |
| Coordinates | 46.22895, -89.90111 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Gravity |
| NID Height | 8 ft |
| Dam Height | 8 ft |
| Dam Length | 75 ft |
| Year Completed | 1948 (78 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 6,130 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 6,130 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 825 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 823 acres |
| Drainage Area | 25 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 610 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Controlled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | Town of Winchester |
| Owner Type | Local Government |
| Hazard Classification | Low |
| Condition Assessment | Fair |
| Last Inspection | 10/11/2013 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | WI00681 |
| Federal ID | WI00681 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |