Upper Dam

Upper Dam is a gravity dam located in Price County, Wisconsin, built in 1916. It carries a Low hazard potential classification and has a satisfactory condition assessment.

About Upper Dam

The primary purpose of Upper Dam is hydroelectric. The dam generates hydroelectric power by channeling water through turbines, converting the energy of flowing water into electricity. The dam is owned by Flambeau Hydro, Llc (private). It impounds the North Fork Flambeau near Park Falls.

The dam stands 18 feet tall and stretches 200 feet across, creates a reservoir covering 432 acres, has a maximum storage capacity of 3,280 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 720 square miles. Completed in 1916, the structure is over a century old.

This dam has a low hazard potential classification, meaning that failure would cause minimal damage, limited primarily to the dam owner's property, with no expected loss of life. Its condition is rated satisfactory, indicating no existing or potential dam safety deficiencies are recognized. The most recent inspection on record was 07/13/2022.

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Low HazardSatisfactory ConditionEmergency Action Plan: Not Required

Location

StateWisconsin
CountyPrice
Nearest CityPark Falls
River/StreamNorth Fork Flambeau
Coordinates45.93843, -90.44407

Physical Characteristics

Dam TypeGravity
NID Height18 ft
Dam Height18 ft
Dam Length200 ft
Year Completed1916 (110 years old)

Storage & Hydraulics

NID Storage3,280 acre-ft
Max Storage3,280 acre-ft
Normal Storage3,279 acre-ft
Surface Area432 acres
Drainage Area720 sq mi
Max Discharge9,260 cfs
Spillway TypeControlled

Ownership & Safety

PurposeHydroelectric
OwnerFlambeau Hydro, Llc
Owner TypePrivate
Hazard ClassificationLow
Condition AssessmentSatisfactory
Last Inspection07/13/2022
Emergency Action PlanNot Required

Identifiers

NID IDWI00786
Federal IDWI00786
More InfoState Dam Safety Program

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