Murphy is an earth dam located in Rusk County, Wisconsin, built in 1994. It carries a Low hazard potential classification and has a fair condition assessment.
Dam profile
NID height · 22 ft22 ft tall and 175 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 Murphy
The primary purpose of Murphy is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Rusk County (local government). It impounds the Hemlock Creek.
The dam stands 22 feet tall and stretches 175 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 188 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 3,279 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 19 square miles. Completed in 1994, the structure is 32 years 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 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 10/06/2020.
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Location
| State | Wisconsin |
| County | Rusk |
| Nearest City | None |
| River/Stream | Hemlock Creek |
| Coordinates | 45.57462, -91.51110 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 22 ft |
| Dam Height | 22 ft |
| Dam Length | 175 ft |
| Year Completed | 1994 (32 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 3,279 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 3,279 acre-ft |
| Surface Area | 188 acres |
| Drainage Area | 19 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 1,783 cfs |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Recreation |
| Owner | Rusk County |
| Owner Type | Local Government |
| Hazard Classification | Low |
| Condition Assessment | Fair |
| Last Inspection | 10/06/2020 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | WI01204 |
| Federal ID | WI01204 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |