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Menomonie Hydro Generating Station
Menomonie Hydro Generating Station
The dam creates Lake Menomin
Overview
Location: Menomonie, Wis.
Generating Capacity: 5.4 megawatts
Type of Operation: Partial Peaking
Plant History
The original Menomonie dam, built in 1848, was severely damaged by floods in 1934 and 1950. The original facility was replaced with a new dam and powerhouse in 1950, and the impoundment was raised 10 feet at the time. The dam creates 1,800-acre Lake Menomin, which serves as an excellent urban recreational resource.
Interesting Features
The Menomonie Dam creates 1,800-acre Lake Menomin, which serves as an excellent urban recreational resource. It offers boating, waterskiing, swimming and other leisure opportunities in addition to good fishing. The 2.5 mile long, one mile wide main body of the lake lies in the Menomonie city limits. Its upper reaches extend nearly to the Cedar Falls Hydro Generating Station six miles upstream.
Environmental Highlights
As a source of electricity, hydropower is advantageous in that the fuel costs nothing. In addition, hydro facilities have low operating and maintenance costs, and their useful lifetime is well over 50 years.
From an environmental perspective, hydro is a clean, renewable fuel, and Xcel Energy manages its dam operations to protect the aquatic environment and improve recreational opportunities.
