Flooding on the Blue Earth River caused an abutment of the Rapidan Dam to partially fail on Monday morning, and it remains in "imminent failure condition."
On Tuesday morning, Blue Earth County Public Works Director Ryan Thilges said the breach threat has diminished, though officials are still concerned because the dam was built on sandstone bedrock that can further erode.
The structure is intact but water continues to flow around it, eroding the slope and forcing an evacuation of the family home of the owners of the Rapidan Dam Store.
Blue Earth County Sheriff Jeff Wersal said the water level in a “catastrophic event would not be that significant.”
Xcel Energy says it has been fortifying several other facilities downriver with sandbags and barriers to protect them if the dam becomes compromised and reaches the substations.
From there, it flows 108 miles north past the cities of Blue Earth, Winnebago, and Vernon Center to Mankato, where it enters the Minnesota River.
The Army Corps of Engineers and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission are still assessing the damage.
The original article contains 357 words, the summary contains 149 words. Saved 58%. I’m a bot and I’m open source!
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On Tuesday morning, Blue Earth County Public Works Director Ryan Thilges said the breach threat has diminished, though officials are still concerned because the dam was built on sandstone bedrock that can further erode.
The structure is intact but water continues to flow around it, eroding the slope and forcing an evacuation of the family home of the owners of the Rapidan Dam Store.
Blue Earth County Sheriff Jeff Wersal said the water level in a “catastrophic event would not be that significant.”
Xcel Energy says it has been fortifying several other facilities downriver with sandbags and barriers to protect them if the dam becomes compromised and reaches the substations.
From there, it flows 108 miles north past the cities of Blue Earth, Winnebago, and Vernon Center to Mankato, where it enters the Minnesota River.
The Army Corps of Engineers and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission are still assessing the damage.
The original article contains 357 words, the summary contains 149 words. Saved 58%. I’m a bot and I’m open source!