Watch: FMR testifies in support of cutoff wall study bill
FMR's Land Use & Planning Director Colleen O'Connor Toberman, closest to the camera at the table, testifies in front of the House State and Local Government Finance and Policy committee on March 17, 2023. (Photo by FMR)
Our bill to fund a study of the St. Anthony Falls cutoff wall — the underwater concrete structure that for nearly 150 years has kept St. Anthony Falls from collapsing — received hearings in both chambers of the Minnesota Legislature last week.
FMR's Land Use & Planning Director Colleen O'Connor Toberman testified in support of the bill in front of the Senate State and Local Government and Veterans committee on March 16, then did so again at a House State and Local Government Finance and Policy committee the following day.
The legislation, she told lawmakers, "presents an important opportunity to address one of the Twin Cities' most neglected and overlooked yet crucial pieces of infrastructure: The cutoff wall that helps hold up St. Anthony Falls."
You can watch testimony from the House hearing below or on YouTube.
The companion bills (SF 2586/HF 2408) were moved forward for potential funding discussions later in the legislative session.
The legislation would enable the University of Minnesota's St. Anthony Falls Lab to conduct a geophysical investigation of the cutoff wall's condition, modeling of the surrounding area, and examination of public safety and infrastructure risks posed by potential failure of the cutoff wall or surrounding area.
In addition to FMR, other supporters include Hennepin County, the City of Minneapolis, Freshwater, and the National Parks Conservation Association. We appreciate the support of our lead authors, Sen. Bobby Joe Champion and Rep. Sydney Jordan, as well as the committee chairs: Sen. Erin Murphy and Rep. Ginny Klevorn.
Read more about the cutoff wall: St. Anthony Falls' hidden hazard.
Previous 2023 updates
March 9: New bill would fund study of St. Anthony Falls cutoff wall
There’s a lot we don’t know about the massive underground cutoff wall that, for nearly 150 years, has kept St. Anthony Falls from collapsing.
It’s unclear when this 1,850-foot-long concrete structure that plunges 40 feet beneath the riverbed was last maintained or inspected. We have no idea what kind of shape it’s in or what repairs, if any, might be needed. And the question of who owns the wall — and is therefore responsible for it — remains murky.
Why does it matter? If the wall were to fail, it could compromise the water supply for Minneapolis, St. Paul and several suburbs, and threaten nearby roads and bridges.
A new bill at the Capitol would allow researchers to begin answering some of those questions.
The Minnesota Legislature recently introduced a bill (SF 2586, HF 2408) to fund a study of the cutoff wall. If passed, the University of Minnesota's St. Anthony Falls Lab would lead this $750,000 project.
The study will include geophysical investigation of the cutoff wall's condition, modeling of the surrounding area, and examination of public safety and infrastructure risks posed by potential failure of the cutoff wall or surrounding area.
This research project would help us move toward better hazard planning and infrastructure maintenance for the falls area. Having this information will also make it easier to settle the question of who is responsible for the cutoff wall.
Sen. Bobby Joe Champion and Rep. Sydney Jordan are the bills' lead authors. We anticipate a hearing in the House State and Local Government committee during the week of March 13, and will have additional updates to share shortly after.
Read more about the cutoff wall: St. Anthony Falls' hidden hazard.
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