Lake Shangri La is an earth dam located in Kenosha County, Wisconsin, built in 1927. It carries a High 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 embankment section and the water level is illustrative.
About Lake Shangri La
The primary purpose of Lake Shangri La is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Village of Bristol (local government). It impounds the Outlet of Lake Shangri La.
The dam stands 16 feet tall and stretches 200 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 172 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 1,200 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 1 square miles. Completed in 1927, the structure is well-established, with more than 75 years of service.
This dam carries a high hazard potential classification, which means that a failure or uncontrolled release of water would likely cause loss of human life. This classification reflects the consequences of failure, not the likelihood — it indicates that people live or work in the area downstream. 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 10/20/2021.
Living Downstream
If you live or work downstream of this dam, consider taking these steps: learn your local evacuation routes, check whether your county emergency management office has a dam failure inundation map, and sign up for local emergency alerts. The Wisconsin dam safety program can provide more specific information about emergency planning for this structure.
Search for dams near your address to see all dams in your area with hazard classifications and safety data.
Location
| State | Wisconsin |
| County | Kenosha |
| Nearest City | None |
| River/Stream | Outlet of Lake Shangri La |
| Coordinates | 42.50696, -88.06501 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 16 ft |
| Dam Height | 16 ft |
| Dam Length | 200 ft |
| Year Completed | 1927 (99 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 1,200 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 1,200 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 650 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 172 acres |
| Drainage Area | 1 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 27 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | Village of Bristol |
| Owner Type | Local Government |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Fair |
| Last Inspection | 10/20/2021 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | WI00147 |
| Federal ID | WI00147 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |