City of Delafield - City officials were optimistic Saturday morning that a crisis may have passed and it appears no longer likely that Lake Nagawicka will rise high enough to overflow the earthen, concrete and steel dam that stretches across St. John's Bay.

Fire Chief Jack Edwards briefed the Common Council Saturday morning and told them that the  water levels on the lake continued to drop over night Friday, according to Mayor Ed McAleer.

McAleer said city engineers believe there is enough water storage capacity in the lake to absorb any further rain storms that would create more run off from the Bark River.

McAleer said a surge of water north from the Bark River is anticipated over the weekend as a result of the heavy rain storms Thursday.

The amount of water stored in the lake and later released south into the Bark River can be manually controlled by opening and closing the gates.

Water levels on the Upper Nemahbin Mill Pond, about a mile downstream on the Bark River, also appeared to be lower Saturday morning.

Margaret Zerwekh, owner of the mill pond dam, said Wisconsin Department of Natural Resource officials ordered more lumber boards removed from the dam Friday which resulted in lower water levels.

Adding or removing boards in the nearly 180 year old dam can adjust water levels in the pond similar to opening or closing steel gates in modern dams, she said.

Earlier in the week, city and state officials had been concerned that Lake Nawicka might overflow the dam because of the more than eight inches of run that drenched the region last week end.

City of Delafield - Mayor Ed McAleer said city officials will meet at 1 p.m. to discuss the possiblity of Lake Nagawicka overflowing the earthen dam located at St. John's Bay.

The lake's water is onto the riprap below the top of the earthen dam that stretches across the bay.

He said he anticipates city workers may begin sandbagging the dam later today.

He said that the gates on the concrete spillway, which was recently rebuilt, will be fully opened even though it may pose a risk of flooding to some structures located downstream on the Bark River.

City Public Works Director Tom Hafner explained yesterday that the city often adjusts the open in the spillway gates in order to control the flow of water into the Bark River. If water from the lake enters into the river too rapidly culverts under the Highway C bridge can cause water to  back up and flooding in the area located between the dam and the bridge.

McAleer said "as a last restort" the city may create a man made breech in the earthen dam in an effort to control the flow of flood waters.

McAleer said he was optimistic that the breech would not have to be created but he was concerned that the Bark River has not yet crested and there is additional rain in the forecast.