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Rapidan Dam

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Coordinates: 44°05′34″N 94°06′31″W / 44.092727°N 94.108662°W / 44.092727; -94.108662
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Rapidan Dam
Blue Earth River below Rapidan Dam
Rapidan Dam is located in Minnesota
Rapidan Dam
Location of Rapidan Dam in Minnesota
CountryUnited States
LocationBlue Earth County, Minnesota
Coordinates44°05′34″N 94°06′31″W / 44.092727°N 94.108662°W / 44.092727; -94.108662
PurposePower
StatusImminent Failure Condition
Construction began1908; 116 years ago (1908)
Opening date1910; 114 years ago (1910)
Owner(s)Blue Earth County Government
Dam and spillways
Type of damConcrete Gravity
ImpoundsBlue Earth River
Height87 ft (27 m)
Length475 ft (145 m)
Spillways5 steel Tainter gates and 2 timber gates
Reservoir
CreatesRapidan Lake
Catchment area2,430 sq mi (6,300 km2)
Surface area318 acres (129 ha)
Turbines2 [1]
Installed capacity6 MW [1] (not currently operating) [2]

The Rapidan Dam is a concrete gravity dam located on the Blue Earth River in Rapidan Township, near Rapidan, Minnesota in the United States. The dam was constructed for hydroelectric power generation from 1908 to 1966. The dam and reservoir are owned by Blue Earth County, and the power plant and dam was operated by Eagle Creek Renewable Energy under an agreement with the county.[1] Power was no longer generated at the dam due to damage from flooding in 2019 and 2020.[2] The dam is located just southwest of Mankato, Minnesota.

Blue Earth County operates the Rapidan Dam Park & Campground on the west embankment of the dam for camping, hiking, river access, and recreational activities.[3] The Rapidan Dam Cafe and Store also operates on the west bank of the river, they are known for their homemade pies.[4]

History[edit]

People viewing construction site of Blue Earth Dam, Rapidan Township, Minnesota

The dam was built in 1910. It generated power for the Northern States Power Company until it was damaged in 1965 by flooding.[5]

In 1970, the dam was acquired by Blue Earth County, which has operated the facility since then.[6] Two years later in 1972 Blue Earth County ruled that the dam should be rebuilt or torn down due to concerns over the impact of a collapse.[7]

In 2002 it was discovered that the foundation of the dam needed emergency repairs which were carried out to stop the dam failing. This included filling concrete in a void between several buttresses and part of the base slab at the toe of the spillway. This cost $1,034,000.[8]

In 2019 the dam was damaged by flooding and stopped producing electricity. In 2021 the county commissioned two studies from BARR Engineering[9] to explore the options for the dam’s state of disrepair. Two options were studied: dam repair or dam removal.[10] From April to June 2022, the county collected community feedback regarding these options.[11] 69% of responses supported repairing the dam and 18% supported removing the dam.[12] As of April 2023 the National Inventory of Dams rated the dam in poor condition and its hazard potential as "significant".[13]

2024 storm damage[edit]

Rapidan Dam on June 25, 2024

Following flooding on the river due to heavy rain, on June 24, 2024, the Blue Earth River brought debris that gathered and caused the river to backup. The dam was declared to be in an "imminent failure condition".[14] Dam operators first alerted authorities at around 10:36 a.m. CDT.[15] The river suffered a side breach due to high water flows and washed away an Xcel Energy substation which provides power to around 600 customers; it also destroyed a shed, and a portion of a home.[16] A flash flood warning was enacted and residents were urged to evacuate.[17][18]. On June 25 at around 9:30 p.m., the at-risk home of the Rapidan Dam Store owners completely collapsed into the water.[19]

Officials say this is a low-risk dam if there was a catastrophic failure.[20] They indicated that the campground would need to be evacuated, and then the only risk would be to people located on the river itself. The largest damage is predicted to be environmental, as a large amount of sediment has built up in the reservoir, and much of it would eventually wash down river.[21]


See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c "Rapidan Dam | Blue Earth County, MN - Official Website".
  2. ^ a b "Exemption surrender process for the Rapidan Dam".
  3. ^ "Rapidan Dam Park & Campground".
  4. ^ "Rapidan Dam Cafe & Store". MankatoLIFE. mankatolife. Retrieved June 25, 2024.
  5. ^ U.S Army Corps of Engineers (2009). "Rapidan Dam Investigations Blue Earth River Feasibility Study Ecosystem Restoration" (PDF). p. 9. Retrieved June 24, 2024.
  6. ^ Moser, Riley (June 24, 2024). "What is the history of the Rapidan Dam in southern Minnesota? - CBS Minnesota". www.cbsnews.com. CBS Minnesota. Retrieved June 24, 2024.
  7. ^ heatherharren (December 30, 2015). "A Brief History of Rapidan Township". Blue Earth County Historical Society. Retrieved June 26, 2024.
  8. ^ BARR (2021). "Rapidan Dam Repair Feasibility Study". pp. 5, 10–11. Retrieved June 24, 2024.
  9. ^ "Rapidan Dam Repairs Executive Summary". Blue Earth County. Retrieved June 25, 2024.
  10. ^ "2021-Rapidan-Dam-Repair-Feasibility-Study_Nov_2021_Final". blueearthcountymn.gov. barr.com. Retrieved June 24, 2024.
  11. ^ "Rapidan-Engagement-Summary-Report_Web". blueearthcountymn.gov. blueearthcountymn.gov. Retrieved June 24, 2024.
  12. ^ Grey, Meghan (August 17, 2022). "Survey results released on future of Rapidan Dam". KEYC. Retrieved June 26, 2024.
  13. ^ Moser, Riley (June 25, 2024). "Where is the Rapidan Dam and what is its history?". CBS News. Retrieved June 26, 2024.
  14. ^ Krohn, Tim; Murray, Robb; Arola, Brian; Lagerquist, Mike (June 24, 2024). "UPDATE: Rapidan Dam in 'imminent failure condition'; Mankato floodwalls expected to handle any surge". Mankato Free Press (mankatofreepress.com). Archived from the original on June 24, 2024. Retrieved June 24, 2024.
  15. ^ Swanson, Stephen (June 24, 2024). "Rapidan Dam breached by flood waters in southern Minnesota; nearby residents warned to potentially evacuate - CBS Minnesota". CBS News. Retrieved June 24, 2024.
  16. ^ Keegan, Mitch (June 26, 2024). "BREAKING: House next to Rapidan Dam falls into Blue Earth River". KEYC News. Retrieved June 26, 2024.
  17. ^ Madani, Doha (June 24, 2024). "Rapidan Dam in Minnesota is in 'imminent failure condition,' officials warn". NBC news. NBC. NBC. Retrieved June 24, 2024.
  18. ^ Keegan, Mitch (June 24, 2024). "BREAKING: Concerns over the integrity of the Rapidan Dam". KEYC-TV. Retrieved June 24, 2024.
  19. ^ Rapidan home collapse, credit AW Aerial. June 26, 2024. Retrieved June 26, 2024 – via www.kttc.com.
  20. ^ Fischenich, Mark (July 18, 2021). "Ask Us: Rapidan Dam collapse wouldn't bring a wall of water to Mankato". Mankato Free Press. The Free Press. The Free Press. Retrieved June 24, 2024.
  21. ^ Thompson, Howard (June 25, 2024). "Rapidan Dam partial failure: What happens if the dam collapses?". FOX 9. Retrieved June 26, 2024.

Sources[edit]

External links[edit]

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