ST. PAUL, Minn. -- The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Paul District, is seeking public input on its recently completed draft feasibility study for an environmental restoration project on the Kinnickinnic River in River Falls, Wisconsin.
USACE previously held a public meeting in August 2023 and welcomed comments on the project. The study and environmental assessment outlines the project’s costs and benefits and determines whether it is in the federal government’s interest to pursue it.
There are currently two dams on the Kinnickinnic River in River Falls. The Kinnickinnic River is a class 1 trout stream and the river section along River Falls is highly degraded because of impoundments. The removal of the Junction Falls Dam and Powell Falls Dam present a unique opportunity to restore the river to its natural setting.
Prior to the dams being constructed, the Kinnickinnic River was a free-flowing river with natural waterfalls. Prior to the construction of the dams, the river flowed over the upper part of Junction Falls, dropping roughly 10 feet before flatting out for 100 feet then dropping an additional 16 feet over the lower falls. The impoundments of Lake George and Lake Louise have resulted in increased sedimentation, increased water temperatures, and lack of aquatic diversity, which is consistent with negative ecological impacts associated to dams.
The draft report and environmental assessment describing the study and environmental effects are available to the public and can be viewed and downloaded from the St. Paul District website at: https://www.mvp.usace.army.mil/Home/Public-Notices/.
Questions or comments on the report and environmental assessment will be accepted through June 20, 2025, and should be directed to CEMVP_Planning@usace.army.mil. Please address all formal written correspondence on this project to the St. Paul District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Attention: Regional Planning and Environment Division North, 332 Minnesota Street, St. Paul, Minnesota, 55101.
The Corps of Engineers contributes to the environmental sustainability of our nation by protecting the nation’s aquatic resources. We manage the Clean Water Act permitting program for the states of Minnesota and Wisconsin, ensuring that development is accomplished in a sustainable manner.
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