Site of the failed Lake Delton Dam

On June 9, 2008, Lake Delton, the approximately 267-acre dammed artificial lake adjacent to the village, overflowed its banks washing away four homes and a portion of Old Newport Road (County Highway "A") while nearly emptying the lake basin into the Wisconsin River following several days of torrential rains. The overflow happened as local authorities ordered evacuations and sandbagging in a number of towns as rivers and lakes rose across the southern portion of the state.

Sandbagging of the dam (which remained intact) was begun overnight by about 100 people, but the contents of the lake began to pour into the river about mid-morning when the embankment over which the highway ran failed eventually opening a breach of several hundred feet. The lake, which averaged about 12 feet in depth, drained out over a period of a few hours.