MANAWA, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – Visitors from across Northeast Wisconsin came to Manawa on Sunday to see the erosion damage to the Manawa Mill Pond dam after flash floods on Friday eroded the dam.
“Never seen anything like this, this is unbelievable,” Thomas Ferg told us.
Ferg grew up in the area and said he has memories of the dam from his younger years.
“My Grandpa and I used to go fishing down here by the dam, so that’s, a lot of memories of that. And fishing out here on the Mill Pond, so it’s, right now it’s all gone.”
Those from as far as Neenah stopped in Manawa to see the pond, and many said they came to check in on family members.
Clean-up from the dam breach and flash flooding is currently underway.
While some visitors were in Manawa to see the damage to the dam, others saw it as an opportunity to learn more about the history of the pond.
“I was just curious to see where the old river used to run, and, just to see what the area looked like,” said Craig Verkuilen, who lives north of Manawa. says his family would come by the river to catch fish.
“We’d come out here with our children and grandchildren and we’d fish off this dock, which is now well above the water.”
On Saturday, Josh Smith, Manawa’s Public Works Director, told FOX 11 the erosion is their worry with the dam.
“The erosion, mainly on the north bank, is what we’re really watching right now, we do have barricades in place so that bystanders that are coming to look at the damage and everything don’t go up in a danger area,” He warned.
The City of Manawa says that they will have a meeting in the next week to discuss cleanup measures.
But for now, Lindsay Park is closed, and the Bridge by the Rodeo Grounds on Highway B is still blocked off.
The city advises to avoid barricaded areas for the time being.
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