The Chippewa River starts at the Winter Dam in Sawyer County, Wisconsin. It flows south for a few miles, then swings to the southwest until it reaches Radisson where it is joined by the Couderay River. It then flows south with a few twists and turns until it flows into Dells Pond in Eau Claire. Dells Pond is formed by the Dells Dam, the last dam on the river. There are sixteen dams on the East Fork, the West Fork, and the upper Chippewa River. On the lower Chippewa south of Eau Claire, there is not a single dam. There are eight towns or cities on the upper Chippewa; on the lower, just Durand. On the lower river, one finds large beaches, islands, sloughs, swamps; on the upper river there are none of these.

Why are the two sections of the river so different? Because of geology and geography. The bedrock beneath the upper Chippewa is hard, stable, ancient rock, well-suited for anchoring dams. Below Eau Claire, the terrain is flatter, the river runs more slowly, and the bedrock is softer sedimentary rock. There are no good spots to anchor a dam.