Thank you for joining us for Meander on the Mississippi!
On a perfect fall Saturday, Friends of the Mississippi River hosted two full paddle boat rides through Lock & Dam No. 1 in St. Paul. During each boat ride, 80 guests cruised up the Mississippi River into the gorge while learning from FMR Board Chair Dr. John Anfinson and Land Use & Planning Program Director Colleen O'Connor Toberman.
This event was the third in a new four-part series to raise funds for the Our River Campaign. At the heart of this campaign is the vision of a healthy Mississippi River. The impact will be transformational and enduring in Minnesota and all downstream communities along the 2,350-mile river. For more information, watch the campaign video and donate here.
Program highlights
After a quick safety talk from Captain Dan on the Magnolia Blossom, we started our journey upriver. Dr. John Anfinson, one of FMR’s founders and former superintendent of the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area, shared how the river used to look before the dams were built.
The first dams on the river were constructed over 100 years ago for navigation and shipping. These human-made structures have significantly altered the appearance of the Mississippi River. But we now have the chance to explore an opportunity that would dramatically change the river again. What would the river look like if Lock and Dam No. 1 and Lower St. Anthony Falls Lock and Dam were removed?
Colleen O’Connor Toberman shared the exciting news that FMR is being recommended to receive $923,000 from Minnesota's Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund next year to complete a dam removal feasibility study. The Army Corps of Engineers is conducting a disposition study, but that will not provide all the answers we need. FMR will fill a critical gap in the process to determine the fate of two locks and dams that have defined this riverway for decades, and their potential removal could reshape the future of the river as we know it.
FMR does not have a stance on dam removal at this time, and we want to ensure that we have all the necessary information before taking a position. This is all happening at a time when the Mississippi River has been named the most endangered river in America, due to intensifying flood risk, climate change and the reduction of federal support.
As we approached the lock, everyone made their way to the boat’s edge to watch the boat slowly rise 36’ into the Mississippi River gorge. As the doors opened, we left behind the busy shorelines, and the river looked more like a tree-lined lake. Currently, access to this part of the river is challenging, and we look forward to exploring how the future of the locks and dams may improve accessibility.
Thanks to all who participated
Friends of the Mississippi River is grateful for the support in making this event an incredible success! It wouldn't have been possible without everyone who joined us to celebrate the river and its future. A very special thanks to this event’s featured sponsor, Resource Environmental Solutions, for making this celebration memorable. We also appreciate the expertise Dr. John Anfinson and Colleen O’Connor Toberman provide!
Thank you to our generous sponsors
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