On July 5, 2024, heavy rainfall caused a dam breach in Manawa, Wisconsin. The incident led to evacuations and road closures due to the potential danger from the engorged Little Wolf River.
According to reports from various sources, including The Washington Post and WSAW News Channel 7, floodwaters breached the Manawa Dam around 12:30 p.m. on July 5, causing a dam break. Emergency crews evacuated residents due to the potential danger from the flooding.
The National Weather Service reported that over 5 inches of rain fell in about 4 hours, leading to flash flooding in Manawa and surrounding areas.
No injuries or fatalities were reported despite the evacuations and road closures. The storms formed as a slow-moving cold front and zone of low pressure pushed through the region between Friday morning and midday.
The breach caused significant damage to the dam, with reports suggesting that a 50-foot-wide area around it had eroded. However, later assessments found the dam to be intact.
Manawa Police Chief Jason Severson estimated that about 50 residents were evacuated from their homes due to concerns about the dam's integrity. The city cautioned people against being on the roads due to flooding and advised them not to drive through flooded areas or wade through running water.
Public health officials issued a boil water advisory for Manawa and surrounding areas as a precautionary measure.
The storms were not an isolated incident, as the Upper Midwest had already experienced high precipitation since spring. Last month, torrential rains dumped upward of 10 inches across Iowa, Minnesota and South Dakota, contributing to widespread flooding across the Midwest and upper Plains. The downpours led a rail bridge connecting South Dakota and Iowa to collapse, while the Rapidan Dam near the town of Mankato, Minn., failed.
The floods were made worse by already wet soil from preceding months of rain and rising temperatures. In Manawa, 6 inches of rain hit the area over the past two weeks, saturating the ground and giving Friday's rainfall nowhere to go but up.
Despite these challenges, residents came together to support each other in times of need. Frank Laach, owner of a cheese shop in Marion, ensured that vehicle milk trucks could pick up farmer's milk tomorrow morning. Olivia Tomko-Santos was the only one at home when water began to flow around the dam and helped support her community during this difficult time.
The situation is stabilized, but assessments are ongoing to determine the extent of damage caused by the breach.
