"Dams across the country are aging and facing intensifying floods wrought by climate change. But the price tag to fix what’s broken is estimated in the hundreds of billions of dollars."

"Sheldon Auto Wrecking is a local institution in southwestern Wisconsin’s Vernon County. It’s tucked in a lush valley just downstream of a 50-foot earthen dam, locally known as “Maple Dale.”

The salvage yard, which buys used vehicles and farm machinery in this rural area to sell for parts, has been in business for nearly 70 years. For most of those years, the dam — less than a half-mile up the road — has protected its yard of hundreds of old cars and broken-down equipment from frequent and sometimes severe flooding in the area.

The dam “was put in place for a reason,” said owner Greg Sheldon.

But it might soon go away."

Madeline Heim reports for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel October 14, 2024. [2]

SEE ALSO:

"Wisconsin Has More Than 4,000 Dams. Failures Are Becoming More Frequent, A Report Says." (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel) [3]

"After Wisconsin Dams Failed In A Massive Storm, 23 Could Be Decommissioned. What To Know." (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel) [4]