UPDATE: The berms built overnight at the Balsam Row Road Dam are holding steady, according to the Shawano County Sheriff’s Office.
As of 8 a.m. Wednesday, water levels remained elevated from Tuesday night, with water now covering the dam’s concrete platform.
Crews returned to the site in the morning to remove debris upstream in an effort to improve water flow, the sheriff's office said.
Officials added the Shawano County Highway Department played a critical role in protecting the dam. Their overnight work prevented embankment failures on both sides, which could have resulted in the entire dam being washed out.
Authorities plan to monitor the dam closely throughout the day and provide updates as conditions change.
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Shawano County officials say water is still rising at the Balsam Row Road Dam, but the rate has "significantly slowed" and evacuations are not necessary.
"Crews have been hard at work building up 3–4-foot sand berms on both sides of the dam," the Shawano County Sheriff said in a Facebook post. While we are unable to stop the rising water levels, these efforts are designed to protect the embankments and direct overflow across the concrete portion of the dam."
As of lat night, dam operators remained on site to monitor conditions, the post said.
"Emergency coordinators will be notified immediately if there are any signs of structural concerns or potential failure," the post said.
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ORIGINAL REPORTING: The Shawano County Sheriff's Office is warning residents about the risk of a dam failure.
The sheriff's office shared the warning, which concerns the Balsam Row Road Dam, in a Facebook post Tuesday night and is urging neighbors to have a plan in place to leave quickly if conditions worsen. No official evacuation orders have been issued at the time this article was published.
