Twin Cities locks and dams

Over the coming years, Twin Citians will face a momentous decision: Should we remove dams on the Mississippi River in Minneapolis and St. Paul?

FMR staff and River Guardians are actively engaged in this issue and others surrounding the locks and dams in the metro area.

An overview of this topic followed by updates are below.

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

How we're filling in research gaps for the lock and dam study

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November 13, 2023

FMR and our partners are bringing together researchers to dig into crucial questions that the official Army Corps lock and dam disposition study won't be able to answer. Here's what we're focusing on and why. Read more

Army Corps study on the future of two metro locks and dams enters new phase

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July 17, 2023

What will the Corps focus on in their years-long study about the future of two metro locks and dams? The release of the Corps scoping documents gives us a picture of what questions they'll investigate — and what could go unanswered. Read more

Lower St. Anthony Falls lock and dam and Ford dam

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

River Guardians' top questions, concerns about the future of the locks and dams

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January 10, 2023

River Guardians submitted more than 170 comments about the future of the locks and dams. Here are the most frequent questions and topics. Read more

A kayaker paddles away from Lock and Dam 1 on a sunny June day in 2022.

5 key issues regarding the future of the locks and dams

update

January 9, 2023

Here are the big questions and concerns we asked the Army Corps to consider as it weighs the future of the locks and dams. Read more

A collection of kayakers, seen from far above, approaches Lock and Dam 1 on the Mississippi River during a June event.

The scoping comment period for two Twin Cities locks and dams is over. Now what?

update

January 6, 2023

Maybe you took a lock and dam tour with us this summer and weighed in on the future of two Minneapolis locks and dams this fall. What's next in the process? Read more