WAUPACA COUNTY (WLUK) — The Big Falls Dam is holding steady, according to the latest reports.
Some residents below the dam evacuated after a flash flood warning was issued Tuesday morning following very heavy rain Monday night. Dozens of people worked to put up sandbags Tuesday morning, and water levels receded Tuesday afternoon.
Waupaca County Emergency Management Director Zac Van Asten updated FOX 11 on the dam’s condition Tuesday afternoon.
“The dam has not breached, nothing like that,” said Van Asten. “The embankments that we’ve created, the sand the dirt the gravel and everything we brought in has held very well.”
Waupaca County Emergency Management issued a flash flood warning at 10:16 a.m. Tuesday. It expired at 4:15 p.m.
Van Asten says the dam operator has been working alongside first responders. He told FOX 11 that the water levels are receding, and the National WeatherService has projected less rain than anticipated for Tuesday night. In the meantime, officials will continue to monitor the situation.
“We have brought in truckloads of sand, gravel, different types of material. Private residents have even brought in beams, different types of things. Everybody is pulling together to help whatever they need,” Van Asten said.
Communities downstream include Manawa, where the Manawa Dam failed two years ago.
Authorities urge residents to sign up to receive alerts from Waupaca County’s website.
Van Asten said his department was notified around 8:40 a.m. When crews arrived, they could see immediately that there was a problem.
“We’re doing our best to contain it, go step-by-step, hour-by-hour, minute-by-minute and make decisions off of that,” he said.
Crews have been placing sandbags, sand and gravel along the river’s embankments to try to keep the water from going around the dam.
Should the dam fail, communities downstream that could be affected include Symco, Manawa, Royalton, New London, Weyauwega, Fremont and into Winnebago County.
“If you are in low lying areas below the Big Falls Dam you should move to higher ground immediately,” the advisory states.
Clintonville High School is open as a shelter location.
Meanwhile, evacuations were also taking place along the river in Weyauwega.
The fire department says people who live on Guth Road, Kurth Drive, Deer Haven Road, Ona Pines Road and Highway F, and close to Gills Landing, are asked to evacuate, taking all necessities.
The community center at city hall on Main Street is open for people who need somewhere to go.
County emergency management officials are working with the National Weather Service to monitor the forecast and model any breach of the dam.