City takes lead on dam rebuild

MANAWA – The Common Council voted last month to purchase the property where the Manawa Dam powerhouse sits from the private company that operates it, giving the city full control of the dam and allowing it to move forward with plans to rebuild the structure and restore the millpond.

The Manawa Council also voted at the February meeting to enter into an intergovernmental cooperation agreement with the Town of Little Wolf to jointly oversee reconstruction of the dam.

The Manawa Dam on the Little Wolf River was originally constructed in 1920. The north side of its embankment eroded in July 2024 after historic rainfall, which caused the 180-acre Manawa Millpond to drain completely.

The millpond was a popular spot for kayaking, fishing, boating, ice fishing and fundraising events. Its west side borders Veteran’s Park, and a landing on the south side provides access for fishing and boating. After the dam failure, the millpond shrunk to just the narrow channel of the Little Wolf River.

The dam has remained non-operational since the incident, though its shoreline was restored last year by the city. The shoreline restoration project was funded in large part by a United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) grant that covered 75 percent of the cost, amounting to more than $400,000.

Last July, however, the city was notified it would not receive the $8.4 million it had requested in the state budget to repair the dam. Following that decision, the City of Manawa and Town of Little Wolf issued a joint statement pledging to work together to restore the Manawa Millpond to its pre-flood condition. The millpond and Little Wolf River extend into both municipalities, giving both a stake in the project.

Although the dam is city-owned, Wiscons8 LLC operated the hydroelectric facility at the time of the dam’s failure in 2024. The private company received most of the electricity revenue, while the city’s six-percent share generated $3,812 that year.

Last year, city officials met with the dam operator and identified three options for rebuilding the dam: renegotiate the contract with Wiscons8 to increase the city’s share of revenue; assume full ownership and all the revenue; or forgo hydropower and build a lower-cost spillway dam that could allow hydropower to be added later.

The council voted 4-1 last month to purchase the property from Wiscons8, including the building that formerly housed the hydroelectric equipment at 100 S. Bridge St., allowing the city to move forward on its own without the hydroelectric operator. The city paid $57,500 for the parcel. The agreement stipulates that Wiscons8 will incur a $500 charge per day  if all equipment has not been removed within 90 days of closing.

Manawa’s agreement with the town establishes a joint framework for financing, engineering, permitting and construction of the dam. A five-member Manawa Dam Committee will oversee the project.

Cedar Corporation will complete preliminary engineering work, including soil borings and a hydrologic and hydraulic study. The committee will conduct a competitive request-for-proposals process to select a design engineer for final plans and construction oversight.

The agreement states that the city and town will seek grants and other external funding, which will be applied to reduce total project costs before costs are divided. It stipulates that the city will apply for a Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) dam grant, but that the city and town will not accept grant funds that require removing the dam without replacing it, unless both parties agree or the intergovernmental agreement is terminated.

The city has a Manawa Dam account at Premier Community Bank to accept public donations for the dam restoration project. Checks made payable to City of Manawa with “Manawa Dam Donation” in the memo line may also be dropped off at Manawa City Hall.

Reconstruction costs, ownership, maintenance and long-term operation of the rebuilt dam will be decided later in a separate agreement between the city and town, documents say.