Summit flooding returns near lake; neighbors seek solutions

SUMMIT, Wis. - Neighbors in the Village of Summit are dealing with flooding again, marking the second time since last August that yards and streets near Upper Nemahbin Lake have filled with water.

Local perspective:

Residents along Venice Beach Road say water from the lake has crept into their neighborhoods, covering sidewalks and making it difficult to get around.

"You just shake your head," said Pat Hawley, who lives in the flooded area. 

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Hawley said she has had to walk through water to get to her car.

"The car is about 200 feet over there. So, coming home from work not sure how high the water was going to be," Hawley said.

Neighbors say the situation feels all too familiar.

"The first thing was, here we go again," said Brian Brenegan, who has lived in the area for seven years. "It’s come up over the sidewalk."

The backstory:

Flooding last August lingered for weeks after heavy rain soaked the area. While conditions this time are not as severe, residents say water levels are still reaching close to a foot in some areas.

"This is now twice in the last year and when is it going to stop?" Brenegan asked.

What they're saying:

Brenegan believes outflow from the Delafield dam may be contributing to the flooding and is calling for solutions.

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"I just wish that someone could be a little more empathetic with us and actually offer solutions instead of just saying you’re in a flood plain," Brenegan said. "I would like to see someone offer solutions."

FOX6 reached out to leaders in Delafield and Summit about concerns over dam outflow but did not hear back.

Statement

Debra Michael, Summit Village Administrator

"The Village of Summit along with the Upper Nemahbin Lake Management District, Lower Nemahbin Lake Association and the City of Delafield have been in constant contact related to the recent highwater in our communities. We have also been participating in a work group since last October to better understand the watershed area and how it effects our communities. Through those conversations, we have been working to implement a better communication program for all the groups involved. The City of Delafield has had proactive communication with all the entities listed above beginning Tuesday, April 14 and including daily updates on the levels they are seeing on Nagawicka Lake, at the dam, the flow of the Bark River, as well as how many turns the dam has been opened (or closed). The City of Delafield has a responsibility of compliant and safe dam operations per their current order from the DNR but chooses to take into consideration, and with empathetic concerns, the downstream flooding impacts that are occurring in their neighboring community of Summit. No formal request has been made to reduce the flow and per the City of Delafield's updates there needs to be a drop in their lake level before the dam gates could be closed further. During our discussions with Delafield and the DNR it has been emphasized that the dam is not designed to hold back water, if that happens, the dam will likely fail which would cause catastrophic downstream results.

"Of note, this area has had long-standing flooding issues in the spring of most years and most certainly during major storm events. Most of this area is considered floodway. The floodway is an area where water is flowing during a flood event. This area also includes flood fringe, where water is stored during a flood event. When water levels are high, it can take a while for the water elevation to recede. There are also restrictions related to what can be done in floodway and flood fringe areas.

"The Village is sensitive to the impacts of intense rainfalls and how they impact our residents and businesses. As in 2025, we have been trying to assist residents in being prepared by providing sand and sand bags for their use as well as arranging for pickup of resident's garbage in the affected areas. At this time, there are no practical long-term interventions that can lower the water level safely or effectively and because the water level is driven by natural conditions (rainfall, groundwater saturation, drainage patterns, the large watershed we are a part of), we have not come up with any measures to mitigate those factors. What we are doing is monitoring the situation, managing immediate issues and developing a collaborative communication system to keep residents informed so they can better prepare."

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