On Jun 24, 2024, the dam was breached. This is one of the flood incidents of 2024.
"High water events in 2010, 2019, and 2020 have caused damage to the dam. The dam has not produced any energy since 2019." The dam has two turbines. [storymaps]
I recommend this video. You can tell that this view is earlier than the above view because there is still some grass between the erosion bank and the white house.
I think this is an earlier video, and it is a building that was closer to the river that is being destroyed.
2 of 6 photos posted [rats, I forgot to save the link] by Conner Blaukat with the comment: "Blue Earth Country Road 9 crossing the Blue Earth River, only a few hundred feet down stream lays the Rapidan Dam. Taken near Rapidan, Minnesota."
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| Brian Potter, Aug 2022 |
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| John Watts, May 2023, 0:06 video |
The 2019 flood was the second worse one. And it has not generated power since 2019. (Those are big trees going through the gates.)
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| 3:00 video @ 0:36 85' (26m) high [0:16] Repairing the dam is estimated to cost $15m and take 4 years. Removing the dam is estimated to cost $82m and take 10 years for permitting and removal. The project would include restoring the river and replacing the bridge south of the dam. Removing and properly disposing of the sediment that has accumulated behind the dam is a significant part of the removal cost. |
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| MankatoFreePress This dam does not have any structural problems and there is no risk of failure. But the Tainter gates no longer work and no hydropower is being generated. Results of a public survey were "Overall, 69% of responses were in favor of repairing the dam. Eighteen percent were in favor of removing the dam and 14% said they would support either decision." |
Power for 1,500 homes and $500,000/year from the sale of the power. [mprnews]
"High water events in 2010, 2019, and 2020 have caused damage to the dam. The dam has not produced any energy since 2019." The dam has two turbines. [storymaps]
I have not been able to find the megawatt capacity of the dam.
Flood of 2024
UPDATE, Jun 24, 2024: Mother Nature has probably resolved the debate as to whether or not to remove this dam.
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| StarTribune, Aaron Lavinsky/Star Tribune "Ryan Thilges, county engineer and public works director for Blue Earth County, said logs and debris from the river valley ended up plugging five steel gates that were open to allow as much water to flow through as possible. Without debris, the dam should have been able to clear the water, but instead the water rushed over the top and to the side. Blue Earth didn't have the necessary equipment to clear debris, and a contractor with a critical piece of equipment was hours away, and the high river posed significant safety concerns." [Note how close the bank erosion is getting to the white house.] |
I recommend this video. You can tell that this view is earlier than the above view because there is still some grass between the erosion bank and the white house.
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| 11:13 video |
I also follow this guy.
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| 8:03 Casey Jones video @ 0:25 |
I think this is an earlier video, and it is a building that was closer to the river that is being destroyed.
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| Facebook reel |
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| Chicago & Midwest Storm Facebook reel [Unfortunately, I could not find a date, let alone a timestamp.] |
The white house gives way.
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| morganwolfenews via Facebook oconner2379 comment: I'm sure this is so devastating to the family that lived there and had the Dam Store that was in the family for generations. Sending healing prayers to the family. [I think I read the Dam Store is the building just beyond the campground road.] |
Sep 22, 2024:
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| AW Aerial posted High in the sky at Rapidan Dam. The Rapidan Dam partially failed three months ago today when flooding and debris caused the Blue Earth River to divert around the dam. This 21-photo panorama gives the illusion of being taken from 1600+ feet above the ground. Photo taken on September 22, 2024. |
JP Drone Solutions posted six photos with the comment: "Here's a current bird's-eye view of the Rapidan Dam's partial failure on the Blue Earth River, which occurred 13 weeks ago today. The 114-year-old dam released 11.5 million cubic yards of sediment downstream."
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| 6 Kurt Braun: This picture alone identified the problem of failure- they could have used a backhoe or even fire to remove the organic plugging the outlet- human, not nature failure to the dam |
The washout is now below the level of the spillway.
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| 0:55 video "A little update from today, June 26th, 2024. As you can see the house has fallen and as of 11:30 am the banks were up to the road leading into the campground." |
One of the concerns with removing the dam was allowing a bunch of contaminated sediments to go downriver. Casey points out that Mother Nature is removing the sediments for us. Unfortunately, not in an environmentally safe manner. Also, the bridge is now closed because the erosion is getting close to a bridge support.
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| 6:02 Casey Jones video |
The increase in flow rate to 40kcfs is why downstream communities such as St. Peter and Henderson now have their major roads closed.
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Jun 27: In this case, closing the bridge due to "an abundance of caution" seems to be justified. So far, no one is talking about all of the contaminated sediment that is being washed downstream except for Casey Jones. But, as I said, toxic sediment must be a real issue because that was one of the big arguments for not removing the dam. I guess the silver lining is that the toxic sediment behind the dam has been diluted by the clean sediment created by the erosion of the river bank.
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| 4:22 video @ 1:58 |
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| @ 2:08 |
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| Facebook reel |
Note the after and before images in the background.
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Most of the road to the campground is now gone.
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| Facebook reel |
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| 0:20 video he historic Rapidan Dam Store was bought and then demolished by Blue Earth County this evening "in an effort to protect other properties downstream and lessen environmental impact," according to KEYC News. Video taken at 7:30pm on June 28. The store belonged to the Hruska Family, whose home was also lost due to a partial failure of the Rapidan Dam. Consider donating to their GoFundMe: |
The bridge is going to remain closed. [1:34 video]
17:59 video: Jul 20, 2024, update and bridge scour tutorial
14:32 video: Aug 27, 2024, the plan is to remove the dam and replace the bridge. He also explains some drone footage that he commissioned.
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