Altoona

About Altoona

The primary purpose of Altoona is recreation. The dam creates a reservoir used for recreational activities such as fishing, boating, and swimming. The dam is owned by Eau Claire County (local government). It impounds the Eau Claire River near Eau Claire.

The dam stands 44 feet tall and stretches 240 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 720 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 14,000 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 883 square miles. Completed in 1938, the structure is well-established, with more than 75 years of service.

This dam carries a high hazard potential classification, which means that a failure or uncontrolled release of water would likely cause loss of human life. This classification reflects the consequences of failure, not the likelihood — it indicates that people live or work in the area downstream. Its condition is rated satisfactory, indicating no existing or potential dam safety deficiencies are recognized. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 09/16/2020.

At 44 feet, this dam is taller than 90% of dams nationwide.

Living Downstream

If you live or work downstream of this dam, consider taking these steps: learn your local evacuation routes, check whether your county emergency management office has a dam failure inundation map, and sign up for local emergency alerts. The Wisconsin dam safety program can provide more specific information about emergency planning for this structure.

Search for dams near your address to see all dams in your area with hazard classifications and safety data.