ROTHSCHILD, Wis. – Executives and employees of Domtar Paper Company, LLC (“Domtar”) joined state and local leaders Tuesday to break ground on a project that will modernize a section of the 113-year-old Rothschild Dam on Lake Wausau.
The upgrade to the 276-foot Timber Crib Spillway section will help the dam continue to serve surrounding communities by supporting public safety and flood control, economic development, tax revenue from private residences and businesses, reservoir management and recreational opportunities.
Earlier this year, Gov. Tony Evers and the Wisconsin State Legislature committed $42 million in state funding to the project. Another $7 million in federal congressionally directed funding is also being pursued.
“None of this happens without partnerships, and today is about celebrating the mutual success of Wisconsin’s workforce and this wonderful region,” said Steve Henry, Domtar’s president of paper and packaging. “By modernizing the Rothschild Dam, we support public safety, help preserve Lake Wausau’s recreation economy and offer reliable flood control infrastructure for decades.”
Henry thanked Evers, the state legislature, U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin, local officials, federal agencies, engineers, contractors and Domtar employees for helping to reach this important milestone.
The company’s Rothschild and Nekoosa mills support more than 3,500 local jobs, including approximately 750 direct employees, and generate an estimated $1 billion in annual economic impact across Wisconsin.
“Investing in critical infrastructure is essential to the long-term health and resilience of our communities,” Evers said. “The Rothschild Dam has served this region for more than a century, and modernizing it is essential to public safety, environmental sustainability and economic vitality in north central Wisconsin.”
Construction crews have begun working on the project. The installation of two temporary cofferdams — which will allow safe, dry access for demolition of the Timber Crib Spillway — is expected to begin soon.
For more information about Domtar’s Rothschild Mill and the dam modernization, visit domtarrothschild.com.
