Pella is a gravity dam located in Shawano County, Wisconsin, built in 1883. It carries a Low hazard potential classification and has a satisfactory condition assessment.
Dam profile
NID height · 18 ft18 ft tall and 213 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 Pella
The primary purpose of Pella is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Town of Pella (local government). It impounds the Embarrass near Pella.
The dam stands 18 feet tall and stretches 213 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 69 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 460 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 334 square miles. Completed in 1883, the structure is over a century old.
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 satisfactory, indicating no existing or potential dam safety deficiencies are recognized. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 08/17/2021.
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Location
| State | Wisconsin |
| County | Shawano |
| Nearest City | Pella |
| River/Stream | Embarrass |
| Coordinates | 44.73958, -88.80428 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Gravity |
| NID Height | 18 ft |
| Dam Height | 18 ft |
| Dam Length | 213 ft |
| Year Completed | 1883 (143 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 460 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 460 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 315 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 69 acres |
| Drainage Area | 334 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 4,500 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Controlled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | Town of Pella |
| Owner Type | Local Government |
| Hazard Classification | Low |
| Condition Assessment | Satisfactory |
| Last Inspection | 08/17/2021 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | WI00202 |
| Federal ID | WI00202 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |