Cutoff wall

Just upstream from St. Anthony Falls in downtown Minneapolis is a subterranean concrete "cutoff" wall that stands four stories tall under the river bottom. 

Built by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in the 1870s, the wall helps stabilize the riverbed around the falls and maintain the water levels needed for our drinking water supply.

But the wall's condition was unknown until, urged on by FMR staff and River Guardians, the Minnesota Legislature funded a $1 million dollar study in 2023.

Released in 2026, the study revealed that the wall is in okay condition. But we urgently we need to establish ownership and routine inspections, as we do with all bridges, dams and important infrastructure.

To see the full progression of this isuse over time, our full history of updates is below.

Cutoff wall
Who owns the St. Anthony Falls cutoff wall? It's still being debated

update

August 13, 2025
The cutoff wall, a vital component of the infrastructure around St. Anthony Falls in Minneapolis, has drawn attention in recent years due to questions about its ownership and maintenance. A study is underway, but it won't resolve everything. Read more
Water flows over Owamniyomni, also known as St. Anthony Falls
Lawmakers approve $1M to shed light on St. Anthony Falls’ hidden hazard, the cutoff wall

update

May 23, 2023
We'll soon know a lot more about one of the state's most crucial, but overlooked, pieces of infrastructure: the hidden cutoff wall underneath St. Anthony Falls. Read more
St. Anthony Falls during spring high waters
Q & A: What the Rapidan Dam has us thinking about aging locks and dams in the Twin Cities

update

July 10, 2024
Land Use & Planning Program Director Colleen O'Connor Toberman talks about parallels between the Rapidan Dam and the locks and dams on the Mississippi River in the heart of the Twin Cities. Read more
Rapidan Dam breach from June 30, 2024
How FMR's priorities for the Mississippi River fared in the 2023 session

update

May 25, 2023
FMR made progress on every single one of its priorities this legislative session. Here's a roundup of everything that happened. Read more
A collage showing parts of five different photos, all from this legislative session: Two FMR staffers posing with fish postcards in the Capitol; an FMR staffer testifying at a May 1 hearing; A state senator posing with children following a hearing; legislators on a tour at the Forever Green Initiative facilities; printed papers with the FMR logo, shown with the Capitol building in the background.
Our 2023 legislative priorities

update

January 3, 2023
From clean-water crops to invasive carp, here's a rundown of what we hope to accomplish at the Capitol. Read more
The top of the Minnesota Capitol building in St. Paul.
The cutoff wall: St. Anthony Falls' hidden hazard

update

December 8, 2022
The nearly 150-year old cutoff wall underneath St. Anthony Falls is a critical piece of infrastructure. But you wouldn't know it by how the wall is inspected and maintained. Read more
Water flows over the St. Anthony Falls Lock and Dam on a sunny day.
An update on the future of St. Anthony Falls
by Colleen O'Connor Toberman

update

February 4, 2022

There's a lot happening around St. Anthony Falls. Here's the latest on the Army Corps' disposition study, upcoming events about the future of the lock area, and that mysterious underwater wall.  >>

Read more

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Upcoming Events

Forever Green field tour
Wednesday, August 12, 2026 - 5:00pm to 7:00pm
Cargill Building, University of Minnesota Saint Paul campus
Tend the prairie at Pine Bend Bluffs SNA [WAITLIST]
Wednesday, August 12, 2026 - 6:00pm to 8:00pm
Pine Bend Bluffs Scientific & Natural Area, Inver Grove Heights
Public meeting on the Tamarack Mine
Wednesday, August 12, 2026 - 5:00pm to 9:00pm
National Sports Center, 1750 105th Ave. NE, Blaine

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