Manawa Dam rebuild moving forward

MANAWA – Local officials are mounting a proactive campaign to keep reconstruction of the storm-damaged Manawa Dam on schedule.
The joint dam committee representing the City of Manawa and Town of Little Wolf agreed at its meeting last week to give major regional civil engineering and construction firms a “heads-up” about an upcoming request for proposals (RFP).

The goal outlined at the meeting is to expedite the bidding process, gather proposals and develop a “turnkey plan” that can be presented to state legislators by mid-October. Under the proposed timeline, engineering firm Cedar Corp. plans to deliver its preliminary studies, including soil borings, by the end of this month.

Dean Steingraber and Adam Schneider of Ayres Associates were in attendance at the meeting last week. Schneider, a project manager, noted that Ayres has specialized experience in dam reconstruction, having recently completed similar projects in Sheboygan, Burlington and Polk County.

The dam was originally constructed in 1920 and failed along its north embankment in July 2024 after heavy rainfall, causing the 180-acre Manawa Millpond to drain completely. Early estimates put the total reconstruction cost at approximately $8.4 million.

The proposed reconstruction would restore the dam but eliminate its hydroelectric component. The committee currently favors a design featuring a spillway and two 10-to-12-foot bottom-draw gates. The gates would release cold water from the bottom of the restored millpond to help protect the downstream fish ecosystem.

The committee also discussed the need to centralize all dam-related inquiries through the committee chairperson. Members said they are concerned that previous comments from city leaders, including Mayor Mike Frazier, had contributed to public confusion about project details.

“In a project that we’re doing here, a multi-million-dollar project, everything has to be open and upfront with everybody,” committee chair Jim Roenz said.

The project also faces regulatory and property transfer requirements. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) is scheduled to complete its environmental assessment of the dam’s hydroelectric license decommissioning by Aug. 28. A 30-day public comment period will immediately follow.

Resolving the FERC license is a prerequisite for finalizing the city’s $57,500 purchase of the dam powerhouse from Wiscons8 LLC. The facility’s current owner, Dwight Shanak, is holding the title until decommissioning is finalized. It was noted at the meeting that Shanak has agreed to allow Cedar Corp. engineers into the facility to perform required hazardous materials testing.

In addition to legislative funding efforts, the committee voted to establish a fundraising subcommittee and directed township and city attorneys to draft resolutions forming a separate 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization for the dam rebuild.

Sue Schwartz, a resident with extensive experience working with the Wisconsin Legislature, and Craig Moser, the newly appointed city administrator for Clintonville, will assist the subcommittee.

Schwartz advised the committee that while direct donations for physical dam construction are not tax-deductible because the structure serves a municipal purpose, donations to a separate 501(c)(3) nonprofit for public-benefit amenities, such as a public beach, splash pad, or fishing park, would be fully deductible and would unlock numerous grant opportunities.