17 Apr 2025

Flood Control Sites, Minnesota: Lake Traverse, Orwell Lake, Red Lake, Big Stone (Highway 75 Dam), Lac qui Parle

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.

17 Apr 2025

Lac qui Parle Dam Emergency Spillway – Watson, Minnesota

The Lac qui Parle Emergency Spillway is designed to retain the Lac qui Parle Reservoir during normal conditions and overtop during flooding. The reference to “emergency” in the feature name is because its operation requires road closure.

17 Apr 2025

Mississippi River Headwaters Reservoirs, Minnesota

The Mississippi River Headwaters Project consists of six headwaters dams in north-central Minnesota. The dams were constructed or reconstructed between 1884 and 1913 to aid navigation on the Mississippi River between St. Paul, Minnesota, and Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin. Because the navigation mission of the headwaters dams declined with the creation of the Upper Mississippi River 9-Foot Navigation Channel and recreation grew in importance to the region’s economy, the mission shifted to flood risk management, recreation, and environmental stewardship.

17 Apr 2025

Operations and Maintenance: Lake Traverse Repairs Modernization Project

The Lake Traverse Project provides flood control on the Bois de Sioux River and in the Red River Valley. While the effects on river stage to reduce flood crests are limited, the reservoir has a sizeable storage capacity. The repairs and modernization project focuses on three sites in the Lake Traverse area.