Lake Winnebago - Locks and Dams

Locks and Dams

Lake Winnebago is not man-made, but its level was raised about three feet by two dams on either side of Doty Island, erected in 1850 and 1930. The lake level is today regulated by the US Army Corps of Engineers to meet demands for flood control, to reduce ice damage to private property, to release water for hydropower and pollution dilution downstream, and to extend the high water season for boating.

A system of seventeen locks connects Lake Winnebago to Lake Michigan. This lock system is located along the lower Fox River and starts at the northwest corner of Lake Winnebago in the city of Menasha and ends at the mouth of Green Bay. One of the locks, the Rapid Croche Lock, is permanently sealed as a barrier to prevent the movement of sea lamprey upstream, and only three of the remaining locks were being maintained. Lock reconstruction is underway and is being supervised by the Fox River Navigation Authority.