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Rapidan Dam erosion continues as rain recedes
Flooding on the Blue Earth River has eaten away shores by the Rapidan Dam all week. FOX 9's Rob Olson spoke with those in the community about how it's impacting them currently.
RAPIDAN TOWNSHIP, Minn. (FOX 9) - The Rapidan Dam in south central Minnesota suffered a partial failure on June 24, 2024, resulting in a house along the Blue Earth River, near the dam, to fall into the river. The Dam Store was then demolished, after it couldn't be saved. Here is a recap of the Rapidan Dam situation.
Partial failure of Rapidan Dam on June 24
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Video of Rapidan Dam in imminent failure condition
SkyFOX over Rapidan Dam in south central Minnesota. The dam is reported to be in imminent failure condition. The City of North Mankato is building an earthen levee as a precaution and to protect lower North Mankato.
On the evening of Sunday, June 23, the dam was experiencing high flows and additional debris, but was still at adequate capacity.
Around 1:30 a.m. on June 24, there was water overlapping the dam, and at 3 a.m., notifications were sent to regulatory agencies per the requirements of the dam Emergency Action Plan.
On June 24, there was a partial failure of the west abutment, which caused an Xcel Energy substation to wash away, resulting in power outages.
The term "imminent threat" was used as outlined in the County’s Emergency Action Plan.
Water peaked on June 24 at 34,800 cubic feet per second and lowered to 33,000 cubic feet per second as of June 25.
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Rapidan Dam failure: Home teeters on brink
The Rapidan Dam in south central Minnesota has suffered a partial failure but remains intact as of Monday afternoon. Officials say the failure was on the west abutment. The river flow is being diverted along the west side, leaving a nearby home at risk of collapse.
Rapidan Dam house falls into Blue Earth River
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House falls into river at Rapidan Dam
Credit: AW Aerial. Video shows a white house fall into the Blue Earth River at the Rapidan Dam in south central Minnesota.
Blue Earth County Officials said a section of the white house collapsed into the river just before 10 p.m. on June 25, after it was over the edge of an eroded bluff.
The soil under the home had been washed away by the heavy flow of the river that overlapped and eventually breached the west side of the dam.
The homeowners were evacuated before it fell, so no one was injured.
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Rapidan Dam: Home falls into Blue Earth River
After the dam suffered a partial failure, a home on the western side of the dam has fallen into the Blue Earth River.
The owners, the Hruska family, watched their home fall into the Blue Earth River on the night of June 25.
Erosion causes concern for bridge as erosion worsened June 26
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Concerns over bridge near Rapidan Dam
Blue Earth County officials say they are concerned about the bridge near the Rapidan Dam after the dam failed earlier this week.
On Wednesday, June 26, officials said there was concern about the Glacier Road Bridge, which runs over the Blue Earth River, south of the dam, due to erosion.
Blue Earth County officials said on June 26 there was a "dramatic" shift that had the river cutting deeper into the west bank.
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Rapidan Dam erosion continues as rain recedes
Flooding on the Blue Earth River has eaten away shores by the Rapidan Dam all week. FOX 9's Rob Olson spoke with those in the community about how it's impacting them currently.
Dam Store demolished
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Rapidan community unites behind Hruska family
The Hruska family ran the dam store for decades. On Saturday, all that was left was rubble. The family and county decided to demolish on Friday, after determining the structure was otherwise likely to end up in the river.
On June 28, Blue Earth County took possession of the Dam Store building near the Rapidan Dam, and demolished it after it couldn't be saved due to erosion from the river.
The store was owned by the Hruska family, who also owned the home that collapsed into the river earlier in the week. The store was left standing after the house fell, but it was threatened by rapid erosion. A deal was reached with officials and the family, and the store was torn down.
Before the store was demolished, Blue Earth County officials helped the Hruska family and friends remove the bar, chairs, tables, booths, kitchen appliances, and memorabilia from the store.
Significant erosion put the Dam Store building at a greater risk of being lost to the river. In an effort to protect other properties downstream and lessen environmental impact, Blue Earth County presented a purchase agreement to the Hruska family, so the building could be removed.
Blue Earth County Public Works, Emergency Management and Sheriff’s Office continue to monitor the Rapidan Dam situation.
The community is now rallying to support the Hurska family.
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Rapidan Dam before and after satellite images
Credit: Maxar Technologies via Storyful. Satellite imagery shows the Rapidan Dam on south central Minnesota’s Blue Earth River before and after the dam experienced a partial failure.