WATER POWERS OF WISCONSIN 



AN investigation of the stream flow 

 and power possibilities of the 

 State of Wisconsin has been in pro- 

 gress by the Hydrographic Branch of 

 the Geological Survey for several 

 years. Prof. L. S. Smith, of the Uni- 

 versity of Wisconsin, also has been 

 making a study of this subject and re- 

 cently prepared a report which is to 

 be published by the U. S. Geological 

 Survey in the form of a Water Supply 

 and Irrigation paper. This paper will 

 be full of facts concerning the water 

 power resources of Wisconsin which 

 will be of great benefit to the public 

 in general as well as the people of 

 Wisconsin. 



The conditions for the creation of 

 water power on the streams draining 

 northern Wisconsin are among the 

 best in the United States. In the 

 northern-central part of the state there 

 is a high plateau consisting of hard 

 crystalline Pre-Cambrian rocks. This 

 elevation is covered with a layer of 

 drift deeply pitted by glacial action, 

 which has resulted in the formation 

 of numerous lakes throughout the en- 

 tire region. These lakes form natural 

 and extensive storage reservoirs for 

 the rivers flowing from this plateau. 

 The height of this land surface above 

 all of the surrounding country results 

 in a considerable excess of precipita- 

 tion over its area, the actual rainfall 

 here being several inches more than 

 that of the surrounding country. 



This region has an almost complete 

 forest covering which adds greatly to 

 the conservation of its water supply. 

 Completely surrounding this Pre-Cam- 

 brian region is one of Palezoic origin 

 consisting to a large degree of soft 

 Pottsdam sandstone. Owing to the al- 

 titude of deposition and the poor wea- 

 thering qualities of these palezoic 

 rocks, the country surrounding this 

 plateau is considerable lower. Conse- 

 quently the rivers that rise in this 

 Pre-Cambrian district must necessarily 

 pass from a high altitude to a low one, 



and in so doing have cut their chan- 

 nels through the glacial drift down to 

 the crystalline rocks. 



In making this descent many rapids 

 and vertical falls are produced, and 

 throughout almost the entire course in 

 making this passage from one charac- 

 ter of geological formation to the oth- 

 er, excellent sites for dams abound. 

 The most important rivers in the state 

 of Wisconsin rise in this high region, 

 either by actual source or by tributary. 

 The Menominee, the Fox, the Wis- 

 consin, the Chippewa and the St. 

 Croix all drain waters from this re- 



gion. 



Menominee River, which forms the 

 boundary line between Wisconsin and 

 the upper peninsula of Michigan, is 

 supplied by waters in the lakes from 

 the Pre-Cambrian district of Wiscon- 

 sin and the northern peninsula of 

 Michigan, and passes in its course 

 down from high altitudes to lower 

 ones, and eventually into Green Bay. 

 From the origin of this river at the 

 junction of Brule and Michigamme 

 Rivers to its mouth, a distance of about 

 104 miles, the river falls nearly 700 

 feet. This fall is concentrated into 15 

 rapids, any one of which is worthy of 

 power development. These falls vary 

 from 5 to 62 feet, the average of which 

 is about 28 feet. At all of these loca- 

 tions there are reasonably good situa- 

 tions for dams. Of the 15 rapids 10 

 are still undeveloped. 



In Wisconsin River between Ne- 

 koosa and Rhinelander, a distance of 

 146 miles, there is said to be a fall of 

 640 feet, which gives an average fall 

 of 4.43 feet per mile. This fall is con- 

 centrated into many rapids and verti- 

 cal falls, producing a very large num- 

 ber of valuable water powers. Many 

 of these have already been improved 

 and are now the centers of important 

 industries. There are many very val- 

 uable locations that have not yet been 

 developed, especially in the upper 

 reaches of the river. Between Ne- 



