Nelson Lake is a reservoir in Sawyer County, Wisconsin^[1] formed by a dam across the Totagatic River.^[2]

Quick Facts Location, Coordinates ...

Nelson Lake
Nelson Lake
Location	Sawyer County, Wisconsin
Coordinates	46°05′11″N 91°29′39″W
Type	reservoir
Primary inflows	Totagatic River
Primary outflows	Totagatic River
Surface area	2,716 acres (1,099 ha)
Max. depth	33 ft (10 m)
Surface elevation	1,253 ft (382 m)

Close

On January 9, 1934, a resolution was brought before the Sawyer County Board by Frank O. Nelson, a board member and a proponent for conservation, to "build a dam across the Totogatic River to create a large flowage or lake from the backwater, suitable for fish and which would furnish a refuge and breeding grounds for all kinds of wildlife." This was to be done with Civil Works Administration funds but this program ended in confusion. The Works Progress Administration followed and made a survey for this project. By October 1935, forty men from the Federal Transient Camp at Hayward were working at the dam.

Mr. Nelson died on November 15, 1935, before he could see the dam completed. After his death the County Board passed a resolution naming the flowage being formed at the big bend of the Totogatic, "Nelson Lake," in his memory, stating that: "this project was primarily proposed and started through the untiring efforts of the late F.O. Nelson."