Village waiting on experts for dam repair plan

Grafton officials are still waiting to hear from their consultant before deciding how to repair the hydraulic cylinder that caused a gate on its dam on the Milwaukee River to fail last week, essentially draining the village’s iconic millpond.

“We’re hoping to have a plan ready by the end of the week,” Public Works Director Julie Esch said Tuesday.

Esch said the village’s consultant, J.F. Brennan Co. of La Crosse, which specializes in dam work, is working on a plan for the village.

“We know for sure it’s the hydraulic cylinder that needs repair, but we just don’t know the extent of the work needed,” Esch said.

She noted that the village doesn’t have a timeframe for the work or a cost estimate.

Once those are determined, she said, she will bring the information to Village Administrator Tim Wellnitz and the Village Board for approval.

Last week officials said that they were looking at whether to remove any debris from the millpond, Esch said that whatever work is recommended will likely not include anything in that area

Once the dam is repaired, she said, it won’t take long for the millpond to return to its former self.

“My understanding is it will be a week or two, depending on the weather, and the millpond will be back to normal levels,” Esch said. “It’s fairly shallow in a number of areas.”

The millpond has resembled a mudflat since the hydraulic cylinder failed late last week.

On Friday, May 1, the village moved the floodgate on the east side of the dam higher to accommodate a planned inspection, she said. But the following day a Grafton police officer noticed that the floodgate had shifted to its lowest setting, sending a surge of water downstream and substantially draining the millpond.

The officer notified the Department of Public Works, and a crew unsuccessfully tried to move the gate.

Esch said the repair work is a priority for the village and its residents.

“When you consider the amount of work and time that went into getting the dam rebuilt and gate constructed years ago, it’s clear how important it is to the community,” she said.