On August 12th, 2025, the Village of Hartland was notified that the Merton Millpond Dam, located in the Village of Merton, was in a Level 2 Emergency State. This state indicates a high potential for failure. The WI DNR is confident that they are able to reinforce the dam. However, the Village of Hartland is advising residents and businesses along the Bark River of the potential rise in water levels of the river. At this time, the dam has not been breached, and the dam’s Emergency Action Plan has been activated. Engineers and local authorities will continue to assess the damage, and as stated before the WI DNR will reinforce the dam, which should mitigate any potential failure. Any questions related to this incident can be directed to the Village of Merton, Waukesha County Sheriff’s Department, and Waukesha County Emergency Management.
Residents along the river should continue to monitor water levels and official sources of information. The Bark River water level could rise within the 100 to 500-year floodplain. Residents can view if they are in the floodplain at: https://hazards-fema.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=8b0adb51996444d4879338b5529aa9cd&fbclid=IwY2xjawMIjBdleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETE5S3N4RVF5dG5EcmNZMHpnAR7fa1KkI2-8aVZJM5KcaRUtXK12xD1CqJBHgPHVZsx1uTeUYWhTAtsUb6lDXA_aem_ocXZE-o_dDpymYMVSGN-BA