Minnesota flood control sites include flood risk management, recreation and environmental stewardship business line functions. Each have public use facilities for shore fishing, picnicking, bird watching, and other activities. The land is actively managed for habitat enhancement.

Location

Lake Traverse is on the Minnesota–South Dakota border between Browns Valley, Minnesota, and Wahpeton, North Dakota/Breckenridge, Minnesota. It consists of two dams, two reservoirs, and the Browns Valley Dike.

Orwell Lake, on the Otter Tail River, is approximately 6 miles southwest of Fergus Falls, Minnesota. It consists of an earthen embankment, outlying dikes, and a gated service spillway.

Highway 75 Dam is on the upper Minnesota River near Odessa, Minnesota. It impounds the Big Stone National Wildlife Refuge.

Lac qui Parle is on the Minnesota River near Montevideo, Minnesota. It consists of three dams, a diversion channel, and several embankments and levees.

Red Lake Dam is located at the outlet of Lower Red Lake in northeastern Clearwater County, Minnesota. It consists of an earthen embankment, a concrete weir with three lift gates, and two stoplog bays.
Description

Flood risk management, recreation, and environmental stewardship activities are completed by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) staff at Lake Traverse, Orwell Lake, and Lac qui Parle. These sites also support readiness (emergency) response activities in the Minnesota and Red River basins. Water control activities have a direct impact on flood response in the downstream communities. Low flows are managed for fish and wildlife purposes and for water supply for communities on the Red River of the North. Red Lake Project activities are completed by USACE staff at Grand Rapids, Minnesota. Since their construction, the reservoirs have prevented combined flood damages of over $5,275,000,000.

Status

Repair of the emergency spillway at the Lac qui Parle Dam, which was damaged by high flows in 2019 and subsequent years, will be completed in two phases. Phase one construction will begin in fiscal year 2025. Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) funding is supporting the development of plans and specifications for repairs, sediment removal and gate painting at the Lac qui Parle, Chippewa Diversion. BIL funding will support dewatering, maintenance, and gate chain replacement at Orwell Dam in fall 2025. Plans have been developed, and material contracts have been awarded. The back-up emergency power source for the dam was upgraded in 2024. Plans and specs for concrete and mechanical repairs at Lake Traverse’s White Rock Dam are in development. This initiative will greatly improve employee safety and structural functionality. Funds will also support replacement of the air bladder system at Reservation Dam, essential for water control. Resurveying of fee title lands is underway at Lac qui Parle, Orwell Lake, and Lake Traverse on several parcels that do not have clear delineation at present.

Authority

Lake Traverse by Public Law (PL) 74-738. Orwell Lake by PLs 81-516, 78-534, 85-624 and 81-516. Red Lake by PL 78-534. Big Stone-Whetstone by PL 89-296. Lac Qui Parle by PL 74-738.