A dam control along the Milwaukee River in Grafton is undergoing repairs after a mechanical failure caused water to rush through the break point over the weekend.
A specialty marine contractor for dam construction inspected the gate on the dam, near Bridge Street, on May 4 and will provide an update to the village with an assessment of the problem, according to a Facebook post from Grafton Public Works that same day.
The department will provide updates as they become available, according to the post.
The failed gate is on the east side of the dam, causing all the river to spill through the dam in that section.
Public Works Director for the Village of Grafton Julie Esch was not available to answer questions about the situation on May 6 and 7. Village staff that the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel was able to reach said they could not comment on the issue, but they did say it’s something the village is taking seriously.
In an interview with Fox 6, Esch said there is no threat to public safety and that the culprit was likely a failed hydraulic cylinder.
Contact Claudia Levens at clevens@usatodayco.com. Follow her on X at @levensc13.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Milwaukee River dam gate in Grafton fails, leading to rushing water
Reporting by Claudia Levens, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
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