Authors Ed Bartlett and Ray Robinson wrote: During the nineteenth century "a water control dam was built at the outlets of both Cathance and Little Cathance Lake. Both were used for log-driving and a water supply for the down stream mills. Very little information is available on the building and operation of these dams and mills. . . . In 1962, the dam at the outlet of Cathance Lake was rebuilt with a fishway to help maintain an even flow through the Cathance stream. In 1973 the Dennys River Sportsman's Club helped finance the rebuilding of the Cathance Lake structure." "When this new dam was built, the spillway was set at a level of 2.5 feet above the low water level of 1960. A fishway utilizes about six inches of the impounded water. The dam is supposed to provide a constant minimum flow from the lake to the streams throughout the year. After observing this flow for many years, it is the belief of many that the flow is not sufficient to maintain a sizable population [of fish] in the stream." from "Salmon on the Dennys, 1786-1988: Struggle for Survival", pp. 75, 18.

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