Eau Claire Dam facts for kids
The Eau Claire Dam is a large concrete dam located in Eau Claire County, Wisconsin, United States. It helps control the water flow of the Eau Claire River.
Building the Dam
The Eau Claire Dam was officially opened on August 12, 1937. It was a very important project during the Great Depression, which was a time when many people needed jobs. This dam was the biggest project in Wisconsin built by the Works Progress Administration (WPA). The WPA was a special government program that helped people find work.
The dam is also known as the Eau Claire River 2WP224 Dam or the Augusta Dam. It stands about six miles north of Augusta, Wisconsin. The dam is 24 feet tall and 251 feet long. It was built on the same spot where an older dam, called the "Main River Dam," used to be.
Eau Claire Lake
The dam creates a big lake called Eau Claire Lake. This lake covers about 1.7 square miles of water. It can hold a lot of water, which helps manage the river's flow.
People love to visit Eau Claire Lake for fun activities. You can go fishing for fish like musky and walleyed pike. Boating and swimming are also popular here. Eau Claire County has two parts of its Lake Eau Claire County Park near the lake, one to the north and one to the south.
Dam's Role Today
The Eau Claire Dam is one of several dams in the Eau Claire – Chippewa Falls metropolitan area. These dams are located on the Eau Claire and Chippewa Rivers. In 2010, people started looking into the idea of using the dam to create electricity from the water's power. This is called hydroelectric power.
