Shea is a gravity dam located in Iron County, Wisconsin, built in 1912. It carries a Low hazard potential classification and has a satisfactory condition assessment.
Dam profile
NID height · 11 ft11 ft tall and 43 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 Shea
The primary purpose of Shea is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Town of Mercer (local government). It impounds the Turtle.
The dam stands 11 feet tall and stretches 43 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 452 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 3,600 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 60 square miles. Completed in 1912, 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 10/18/2021.
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Location
| State | Wisconsin |
| County | Iron |
| Nearest City | None |
| River/Stream | Turtle |
| Coordinates | 46.23614, -89.99485 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Gravity |
| NID Height | 11 ft |
| Dam Height | 11 ft |
| Dam Length | 43 ft |
| Year Completed | 1912 (114 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 3,600 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 3,600 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 2,250 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 452 acres |
| Drainage Area | 60 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 1,575 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Controlled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | Town of Mercer |
| Owner Type | Local Government |
| Hazard Classification | Low |
| Condition Assessment | Satisfactory |
| Last Inspection | 10/18/2021 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | WI00614 |
| Federal ID | WI00614 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |