(DailyDig.com) – The Blue Earth River gravity dam near Mankato, Minnesota, is close to failure. The dam, built in early 1900, succumbed to severe storms that hit in the Midwest, causing flooding of the river.
The county government reported on June 24 that the risk of the dam failing is high and that they are not certain what condition it would be in: total failure or remaining standing. Blue Earth County officials decided that informing residents downstream about the potential imminent failure was essential for their preparation. They also decided to inform both local and regulatory agencies about the situation.
A 2021 study noted that the dam was in a “state of disrepair.” The county stated that, as of June 25, the dam was still there, and they have no plans to evacuate on a massive scale. Authorities continue to monitor the dam despite a slight decrease in the peak water flow the following day.
During the previous few days, the county sheriff’s office was monitoring the buildup of debris at the Rapidan Dam. They reported that the swollen river substantially cut out portions of the ground around the western side and washed away a substation of the Xcel Energy Company from that area.
Xcel Energy released a statement saying that the recent rainfall raised the level of the river, and as it flowed swiftly over the dam, it diverted to the western side and onto the bank. That was where Xcel’s substation was located.
The bridges spanning the river for County Roads 33 and 90 are currently being monitored. Debris from the flooding, which washed away portions of the western bank of the dam, including the power substation, is flowing downstream and has not yet led to the closure of the bridges. If the closures are determined to be a traffic hazard, authorities will announce them.
Xcel Energy is working on restoring the power that was out due to the substation destruction, according to the county sheriff’s office. They aim to restore power as soon as possible to the 600 households.
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