Here the latest from the NWS in LaCrosse regarding a possible dam failure at Rockford in Floyd County.

EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AND LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS CONTINUE TO REPORT THAT THERE ARE STRUCTURAL PROBLEMS WITH THE ROCKFORD MILL DAM ALONG THE SHELL ROCK RIVER IN ROCKFORD.

THERE IS A VISIBLE WHIRLPOOL ABOVE THE DAM…AND THERE IS A
CORRESPONDING AREA BELOW THE DAM WHERE WATER IS FLOWING OUT THROUGH A HOLE UNDER THE DAM STRUCTURE. OFFICIALS ALSO NOTE THAT THERE IS A CRACK IN THE DAM IN THAT SAME GENERAL AREA. THE WHIRLPOOL AND OUTFLOW AREA ARE BOTH LARGER THAN THEY WERE ON TUESDAY.

AT THIS TIME…OFFICIALS BELIEVE THE DAM WILL INDEED FAIL.
HOWEVER…THIS IS LIKELY TO BE A SLOW FAILURE…AND MAY NOT OCCUR FOR SEVERAL DAYS OR PERHAPS EVEN WEEKS. WATER WILL CONTINUE TO FLOW UNDER THE DAM…RESULTING IN MORE EROSION AND MAKING THE HOLE LARGER. OVER TIME…THIS WILL LEAD TO FAILURE OF THE DAM.

THIS DAM IS RATHER SMALL AND DOES NOT HOLD A LARGE AMOUNT OF WATER BEHIND IT. SO WHEN IT DOES FINALLY FAIL…POTENTIAL FOR FLOODING DOWNSTREAM IS SMALL. HOWEVER…THE INCREASED FLOW COULD POSE A RISK FOR RECREATIONAL INTERESTS ON THE RIVER…INCLUDING FISHERMAN…CANOEISTS AND OTHER BOATERS.

NO DAM BREAK HAS YET OCCURRED. HOWEVER…SHOULD A DAM BREAK
OCCUR…THE MAXIMUM WATER LEVEL RISE WILL BE IMMEDIATELY DOWNSTREAM OF ROCKFORD…WHERE RISES AS MUCH AS 2 TO 4 FEET WILL BE POSSIBLE IN 1 TO 2 HOURS. FURTHER DOWNSTREAM…RISES OF 1 TO 2 FEET ARE POSSIBLE WITHIN 2 TO 3 HOURS AT MARBLE ROCK. ONLY MINIMAL RISES OF A FOOT OR LESS ARE EXPECTED AT GREENE…ABOUT 4 HOURS AFTER ANY BREAK.

ONCE AGAIN…NO DAM BREAK HAS YET OCCURRED…BUT WATER IS
UNDERCUTTING THE DAM STRUCTURE. BE SURE TO MONITOR LATER STATEMENTS FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. UPDATES WILL BE PROVIDED AS NEW INFORMATION BECOMES AVAILABLE.