As southern Minnesota battles an onslaught of rain and severe flooding, the fate of the Rapidan Dam hangs in the balance, with officials saying the dam is in “imminent failure condition.”
The Rapidan Dam, built in 1910, is located on the Blue Earth River, which begins in Iowa and runs outside Mankato, Minnesota, about 85 miles southwest of Minneapolis.
The Blue Earth County Sheriff’s Office reported the dam was in precarious standing amid the overflow of the river, which has caused “erosion and slope-cutting” to the dam as well as a buildup of debris in the area.
The sheriff’s office reported a “partial failure” of the dam on the west abutment on Monday.
“We do not know if it will totally fail or if it will remain in place, however, we determined it was necessary to issue this notification to advise downstream residents and the correct regulatory agencies and other local agencies,” the office wrote in an alert on Facebook Monday.
“Public Works, Emergency Management and Sheriffs Offices are implementing steps outlined in the Rapidan Dam Emergency Action Plan for Imminent Failure of the Dam including notification of potentially affected residents, impacted regulatory agencies and other local agencies,” the office said.
