The Dairyland Reservoir, the Flambeau River and the beautiful land surrounding these water resources are rich with recreational opportunities.
Come enjoy the Dairyland Reservoir and the 24 miles of shoreline that offer scenic hiking, great fishing, camping, snowmobiling and fun in every season!
Dairyland Power Cooperative strives to be a good neighbor in communities where we do business, including supporting natural resources. Through major environmental and recreational enhancements to land adjacent to the Reservoir, parklands and roads have been improved. Among the improvements have been the construction of boat landings and providing handicap-accessible areas to improve the quality of life for residents and visitors.
By working cooperatively with the local Wildlife Restoration Association (WRA) and Rusk County Forestry, Dairyland has leveraged resources to further improve recreational opportunities and wildlife habitat. There are currently six parks around the Dairyland Reservoir, including the newest - Quarry Park - which was created on land purchased by Dairyland Power. A warming shelter will be in place by early 2019 for outdoor enthusiasts who want to enjoy hiking in the park and on adjacent managed forest lands, which are open to the public for non-motorized recreation.
A Northern Wisconsin Fishing Destination
In 2007, a drawdown of the Reservoir occurred for maintenance on the Dam. At that time, Dairyland also received its first permit to place fish habitat structures on the bed of the reservoir. Since that initial project, more than 5,000 trees and 10,000 yards of cubic rock have been submerged under those permits. Fish surveys prior to 2007 were hard-pressed to find fish populations that were attractive to local anglers. Since then, catch rates of fish species have more than doubled. According to Dairyland's fish surveys and the Wisconsin DNR, the following fish are found on the Reservoir:
- Walleye
- Musky
- Smallmouth Bass
- Panfish
- Largemouth Bass
- Northern Pike
- Sturgeon
- Catfish
Since 2013, Dairyland staff has also led numerous school groups in educational outings and activities at the Reservoir, including an Environmental Field Sampling Day. Local high school students gather at the reservoir to shadow a Dairyland biologist and help collect fish, invertebrate and water quality samples. They are then guided through the process of making an ecological assessment of the water and biological quality of the Reservoir.
Dairyland Reservoir Parks
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