Did You Know...

...that one of the most popular attractions in the state of Wisconsin, the Upper Dells, owes its easy accessibility to the Kilbourn Dam? The Dells is located on the Wisconsin River about 55 miles north of Madison. This summer, the dam at the Dells celebrated its 90th birthday. Yet even in old age, the dam has proved to be a piece of solid engineering, with much of the equipment set into place in 1909 still transforming river flows into 10 mW of electricity, when running at full capacity. The dam is owned by Alliant Energy Corporation. When the dam was built, it divided the natural sandstone canyon into the areas now known as the Upper Dells and Lower Dells. The area has been a favorite destination for tourists since the mid-19th century and its popularity has increased over the years, particularly since the creation of the reservoirs in the area.

Today, tourism is the major industry of Wisconsin Dells. Boat trips take visitors to scenic ports of call on the Upper and Lower Dells. The Wisconsin River winds its way past 15 miles of unique and rare rock formations, sandstone cliffs, glens, gorges and pine forests. Tour boats take visitors to the lake formed by Kilbourn Dam. Boat trips also go to Lake Wisconsin, the reservoir created by the Prairie du Sac Dam, which produces about 27,500 kW of power. The nearly 3 million people that visit the Dells each year create about 7,000 jobs and an estimated $525 million tourist and recreation income.

(reprinted from the USCOLD Newsletter, July 1999, page 3)