The facility was built in 1992-93 to help the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources more effectively manage Lake Michigan's trout and salmon fishery. Each fall and spring, migrating chinook salmon, coho salmon, brown trout and rainbow trout (steelhead) enter the streams as part of their spawning ritual. Because successful natural reproduction of trout and salmon does not occur in Wisconsin waters, the fishery is entirely dependent upon hatchery-raised fish. This facility is Wisconsin's primary source of steelhead eggs and brood (parent) stock, and is the backup facility for the collection of eggs of other trout and salmon species. Each year, approximately 500,000 steelhead are stocked in Wisconsin waters of Lake Michigan. The weir is the tool with which the DNR collects the eggs to accomplish this goal.

Another function of the facility is to enable DNR biologists to gather biological information on a large number of fish which pass through this facility as they migrate up the river. Data relating to overall health of the fish, growth rates, migration patterns and other important information are collected to help us learn more about the fishery.