Prairie Farm is a gravity dam located in Barron County, Wisconsin, built in 1850. It carries a Low hazard potential classification and has a fair condition assessment.
Dam profile
NID height · 16 ft16 ft tall and 200 ft long. Height is drawn to scale against a two-story house, about 25 ft; the profile is a generic concrete gravity section and the water level is illustrative.
About Prairie Farm
The primary purpose of Prairie Farm is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Prairie Farm (local government). It impounds the Hay River near Prairie Farm.
The dam stands 16 feet tall and stretches 200 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 29 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 220 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 95 square miles. Completed in 1850, the structure is one of the older dams in the region, with over a century and a half 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 08/26/2016. That was over 10 years ago.
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Location
| State | Wisconsin |
| County | Barron |
| Nearest City | Prairie Farm |
| River/Stream | Hay River |
| Coordinates | 45.23902, -91.98519 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Gravity |
| NID Height | 16 ft |
| Dam Height | 16 ft |
| Dam Length | 200 ft |
| Year Completed | 1850 (176 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 220 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 220 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 150 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 29 acres |
| Drainage Area | 95 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 6,255 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Controlled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | Prairie Farm |
| Owner Type | Local Government |
| Hazard Classification | Low |
| Condition Assessment | Fair |
| Last Inspection | 08/26/2016 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | WI00101 |
| Federal ID | WI00101 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |