Background:

The purpose of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Lower Saint Anthony Falls Lock and Dam and Lock and Dam 1 Section 216 Disposition Study is to evaluate whether Lower Saint Anthony Falls Lock and Dam, Lock and Dam 1, and the associated federally authorized navigation channel, all features of the Upper Mississippi River 9-Foot navigation project, should be deauthorized and if the associated real property and government-owned improvements should undergo disposal. 

USACE initiated the disposition study after Upper St. Anthony Falls Lock and Dam was closed to navigation traffic in 2015, reducing navigation traffic throughout the study area.  The disposition study considers whether federal interest exists to retain the project features for their authorized purpose. Several alternatives will be considered including: 1) no action, 2) deauthorize the federal project features and completely dispose of all federal properties, and 3) deauthorize some or part of the federal project elements and partially dispose of federal properties. The study will also consider opportunities for a new water resources development purpose and modifications that would improve the overall quality of the environment in the public interest and minimize operation and maintenance costs at these sites. 

Lower St. Anthony Falls Lock and Dam is located on the Mississippi River, near river mile 853, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. LSAF was constructed and in operation in September 1956.  The dam consists of a 275-foot-long concrete spillway, 56 feet wide by 400 feet long and has four Tainter gates. The abutment is connected to a short earth embankment owned by Xcel Energy Company.

Lower St. Anthony Falls is located on the Mississippi River, near river mile 847, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. LD1 was constructed in 1917 and reconstructed in 1929. The main lock was completed in May 1932. The dam consists of a 574-foot long Ambursen concrete overflow structure, the lock chamber is 56 feet wide and 400 feet long. LD1 is the only lock within St. Paul District that is a twin lock, the twin, or river lock is also 56 feet wide and 400 feet long. 

Current Status:

In October 2022, the Corps held meetings with the public, resource agencies and non-governmental agencies to begin the scoping process. A summary of scoping comments is available here.