The city of Manawa will have to wait until 2027 to see if funding for a new dam will be included in the state budget, as it was not included in the two-year budget the governor signed July 3, according to Manawa Mayor Mike Frazier.
It’s been over a year since the Manawa Mill Pond dam failed, sending floodwaters into Little Wolf River. On July 5, 2024, the city received 8 inches of rain in a three-hour span, which resulted in massive flooding to homes and streets, while also damaging roads.
No injuries were reported, but questions still remain as to what will be done to the dam. The city had requested $8.4 million from the state to replace the dam that is over 100 years old.
“They finally got to the infrastructure part of the budget, and their plan is to now do more for roads and bridges,” Frazier told the Appleton Post-Crescent. “They did throw some more money into more of a ‘dam repair’ part of the budget. But that we’ve learned is probably not going to be able to be applied for until like March 2026.”
The city received around $400,000 from the United States Department of Agriculture to stabilize the shoreline near the Manawa Mill Pond dam. Frazier said the city applied for grants from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, but were denied, as the city “did not have enough damage to qualify for FEMA.”
What’s next for the dam replacement funding?
In a Facebook post, the city commented about the lack of funding: “The news about funding our dam, from the state, was not what we’d hoped for. With that in mind, the City of Manawa and the Town of Little Wolf would like to reiterate our intent and desire to work together on the mutual goal of restoring the Manawa Mill Pond to its pre-July 5, 2024, condition, or better.”
The Facebook post noted that the Manawa Mil Pond has served the community for kayaking, fishing, boating, ice fishing and fundraising. Frazier also recognized the dam being a part of Manawa’s history.
“They’re (residents) disappointed, but there are some other avenues to explore. The biggest thing is we just got to be patient and hopefully something pops up,” Frazier said.
Frazier said he is glad the situation didn’t turn out worse than what it could have. He compares it to the floods that have been happening this summer in Texas, which have resulted in the deaths of at least more than 130 people, according to USA Today.
“We are very fortunate the dam did not give away that day, because we would’ve been a lot like what Texas just went through. The three guys who tried to raise up the gates that day said that the dam was shaking, and they’re surprised it did not go,” Frazier said.
There are currently no planned updates from the city regarding what’s next for funding for the dam. Frazier did say the next City Council meeting will probably feature mentions about the dam’s future. The council next meets at 6 p.m. July 21 at the Manawa Municipal Building, 500 S. Bridge St.
Rashad Alexander can be contacted at ralexander@gannett.com and 920-431-8214.
This article originally appeared on Appleton Post-Crescent: Will the Manawa dam be replaced after last year’s failure? Here’s what we know
Reporting by Rashad Alexander, Appleton Post-Crescent / Appleton Post-Crescent
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
