It began operating in 1912 and currently provides hydroelectricity to city of Ann Arbor, which owns and maintains the dam and power station.

[2] The Barton Dam is located in the northwestern city limits of Ann Arbor about 0.5 miles (0.80 km) west of M-14 (Bus.

[4][5] The dam is constructed out of concrete and consists of 10 automated spillways that control the water level of Barton Pond and the downstream area.

It was one of a series of dams constructed along the Huron River to provide hydroelectricity to residents and its own manufacturing facilities.

Combined, the two dams produce 6,000 megawatt hours of power annually, which creates enough electricity for around 1,500 homes at peak capacity.

[5][6] Of the two facilities, the Barton Dam has a much larger generating capacity of about 4,200 megawatt hours of energy and earns the city more than $300,000 in revenue a year, not including general maintenance costs.

[7] While the Barton Dam power station remains profitable, the Superior Dam power station "does not generate enough electricity to cover its own annual maintenance and operating costs" according to the Huron River Watershed Council in 2019 and risks being decommissioned.

[8] There are currently four remaining hydroelectric dams along the Huron River: Barton, Superior, Ford Lake, and French Landing.

In 1905, the Detroit Edison Company began purchasing riverfront land and water rights in order to dam the river in many locations.

When it came time to portage over the dam to the downstream area, they decided to use the staircase alongside the powerhouse rather than a nearby embankment.

Many workers for the Detroit Edison Company built their homes along the banks of the Huron River in what was former farmland just north of the city of Ann Arbor.

Riverfront property along the Barton Pond became very valuable estate, and many wealthy executives of the company built elaborate homes there.

[15] In 2019, the city of Ann Arbor approved a $543,000 contract to repair and upgrade the aging turbine and power station, which requires such maintenance at least every 10 years but had not been completed since 2005.

The Ann Arbor portion is organized into the Barton Nature Area, which encompasses 98 acres (39.7 ha) along the Huron River on land previously owned by the Detroit Edison Company.

[21] The Barton Pond was used by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources for stocking several varieties of fish, including channel catfish, largemouth bass, and even tiger muskellunge.

[23] The Huron River is occasionally issued a "Do Not Eat" fish advisory by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services when the waters accumulate high levels of cyanobacteria and perfluorooctanesulfonatecan (PFOS).

[24] When the advisory is in place, fishermen are advised to catch and release only, and warning signs are posted at river access points.