Foote Dam

Foote Dam is a hydro-electric dam on the Au Sable River in Michigan.BackgroundThis hydro-electric dam was completed in 1918 and has a capacity of 9,000 kilowatts. It is located 9 miles upstream from Lake Huron and is named for William A. Foote, the founder of Consumers Power, which later became Consumers Energy. In 1896, Foote took a side trip from Kalamazoo to Allegan, where he conceived the idea of a hydroelectric plant along the Kalamazoo River. In Foote's mind, that plant and others would power the industrial centers throughout the state.The dam is privately owned and operated by Consumers Energy.