Kilbourn Dam turns 100

Some dams are good, others are bad, and DNR will determine what is what...

WI State Journal

But its significance carries well beyond the electricity it created.

The dam evened out water flow and raised water levels on the river, making some of the scenic spots amid the high sandstone cliffs accessible to tourists.

“It allows us to go into backwater such as Coldwater Canyon and Witches Gulch and be able to navigate the boats and bring people into those areas,“ said Jason Garbacz, operations supervisor for Dells Boat Tours. “Without the dam, water levels wouldn’t be high enough for us to get into some of these spectacles.”

“We hold back a little water at night and then release it during the day for boats and amphibious vehicles,” Wilson said. “It (the dam) is very integral to the entire Wisconsin Dells.”