Over a Century of Economic Impact
The Rothschild Dam’s Benefits to North Central Wisconsin
Since the first roll of paper was produced at Domtar’s Rothschild Mill in November 1910, the facility has been a key player in the region’s economy. Both the Rothschild Mill — and Domtar’s Nekoosa Mill located less than an hour away — have helped the communities of north central Wisconsin thrive by:
Supporting
more than 3,500 local jobs, including approximately 750 direct employees.
Providing
an estimated annual economic impact of $1 billion.
Contributing
more than $300,000 to local causes over the past three years.
The Rothschild Dam and Lake Wausau
A dam that created Lake Wausau provided hydroelectric power to support the Rothschild Mill’s early operations. However, the dam’s operational value to the mill has decreased in recent decades. While the financial benefit of the dam for Domtar’s operations is minimal, the benefit to the community surrounding Lake Wausau, a popular recreation site for both locals and visitors, continues to grow as development increases.
Community benefits provided by the dam include:
Quality of life
Private residence / tax revenue
Reservoir management
Public safety and flood control
Challenges Facing the Rothschild Dam
The Timber Crib Spillway section of the Rothschild Dam was last updated in 1964. Since then, the Rothschild Mill has invested $12 million in maintenance and repair efforts to extend its life. This portion of the structure must be replaced.
Domtar’s Commitment
Although the dam and related hydro generation are not core to Domtar, the company has, and will continue to, maintain the dam as part of its ongoing commitment to north central Wisconsin.
However, the company cannot fully underwrite a project estimated to cost $84 million without diverting money from investments in its regional operations in Rothschild and Nekoosa — which, at 114 and 141 years old, respectively — need significant infusions of capital to support competitiveness.
Domtar is committed to modernizing the Timber Crib Spillway section of the Rothschild Dam and is open to transferring ownership of the dam to an entity that can use this resource to serve the public and/or further generate revenue. Given its recreational, economic and public safety benefits, Domtar seeks an equitable solution to fund this project via cost-sharing funding opportunities at the local, regional, state and federal levels.
Possible Future Investments in North Central Wisconsin
A proposed investment of at least one-third of the total cost of the modernization project should be considered. Domtar will commit to investing $100 million in north central Wisconsin via its Rothschild and Nekoosa mills over the next three years.
This cost-sharing approach signals Domtar’s recognition of the need to modernize the dam, while acknowledging the structure is of more importance to the surrounding communities than the mill, which seeks to continue serving as a major provider of employment and economic growth in north central Wisconsin.