WVIC investigating ‘unauthorized activity’ at Burnt Rollways Dam in Three Lakes

The Wisconsin Valley Improvement Company (WVIC), which operates the Burnt Rollways Dam on the Three Lakes Chain of Lakes, is investigating “unauthorized activity” at the dam earlier this year “resulting in the discharge of additional water not reflected in WVIC’s operational data, plans, or orders.”

The Explore Three Lakes Visitors Bureau posted WVIC’s statement on the dam investigation on its Facebook page.

According to the statement, in response to concerns regarding water levels on the Burnt Rollways Reservoir, WVIC recently completed a thorough review of the Burnt Rollways Dam and operating records.

“The unauthorized activity was not conducted by WVIC employees or representatives and is under further investigation,” the statement reads. “Since making adjustments to correct the unauthorized activity, reservoir water levels have stabilized and whether water levels increase, recede, or stay the same prior to the normal winter drawdown will be related to the typical factors like evaporation, precipitation amounts and timing, as well as inflows to the reservoir.”

The Burnt Rollways Boat Hoist is located at the end of Long Lake. The hoist allows boats to travel from the Three Lakes Chain of Lakes, the largest chain of freshwater lakes in the world, to the Eagle River Chain.

The Three Lakes Chain is also known as the Burnt Rollways reservoir. According to the WVIC website, it consists of 20 lakes which have a combined surface area of 7,600 acres and 106 miles of shoreline. 

The Eagle River chain consists of nine lakes which cover 3,900 acres and have 68 miles of shoreline, and reaches to the City of Eagle River. The Eagle chain is regulated by the Otter Rapids hydroelectric dam operated by Wisconsin Public Service Corporation.

According to the WVIC website, the Burnt Rollways Dam got its unique name from an event that took place during the lumbering days of the late 1800s.

“A group of lumberjacks got mad when a shoestring jobber couldn’t pay them after they’d stacked his timber on a device called a rollway along Ninemile Creek. The logs were to have been rolled into the melt-swollen creek in spring and floated to a sawmill. Since they didn’t get paid, the lumberjacks burned the logs on the rollway in protest. Hence the name ‘Burnt Rollways.’ As the story goes, the men reasoned that if they weren’'t going to get paid, neither would the man they worked for. The rollway they burned reportedly lies submerged in the creek about a mile upstream from our present boat hoist.”

Anyone with information that might assist the WVIC in its investigation related to the unauthorized activity is asked to contact them at 715-848-2976 or [email protected].