Thursday, September 28, 2023

1956 Lower St. Anthony Falls Lock and Dam in Minneapolis, MN

(John A. Weeks III; Satellite)

Note the Stone Arch Bridge in the background.
Street View, Oct 2018

John A. Weeks III
"It has a 24-foot head....The lock is 56 feet wide by 400 feet long, which is about two-thirds the size of a typical Mississippi River lock."
This photo "was taken from the 10th Avenue Bridge. This photo is only possible with the collapse of the I-35W bridge, which would normally block the view of the lock & dam. Note the nice view of the Stone Arch Bridge and the 3rd Avenue Bridge in the background. The lock and this section of the Mississippi River was closed from August 1, 2007 to October 5, 2007 following the I-35W bridge disaster."
[Note the collapsed bridge in the left foreground.]


John A. Weeks III
"The photo above is a view of the Lower Saint Anthony Falls Lock & Dam after the new I-35W bridge was completed. This photo was taken from the Northern Pacific Bridge #9 due to the observation area on the 10th Avenue Bridge having been closed after the new I-35W bridge was completed."

USACE
"Dam consists of concrete spillway 275' long with four Tainter gates. Abutment connecting to short earth embankment owned by Xcel Energy Company"
[The debris from the old I-35 bridge has been removed, and they are starting the construction of the replacement bridge.]

John explained that they studied installing a "linear turbine" next to the lock. It looks like the conclusion of the study was positive.
Satellite

This is what the river looked like upstream before the dam was built.
Brian Marsh posted via Dennis DeBruler

ParkConnection via Dennis DeBruler

They are now thinking about removing the three dams in Minneapolis. So the above two views may become more common.
USACE_disposition
"The St. Paul District is currently studying the disposition of the three locks and dams located within the city of Minneapolis. The purpose of these disposition studies is to determine whether there is federal interest in continuing to own and operate the locks and dams. If there is no longer a federal interest, the Corps of Engineers is then directed to identify a viable disposal alternative, meaning the locks and dams would be transferred out of federal ownership to a local, state or federal agency."

Friends of the Mississippi River
If the USACE no longer wants them, should they be removed?

A rendering of the river if this dam were removed.
fmr_rederings via fmr_could_not_find_date




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