AUTHORS: Don Pereira, HDR Inc.; Cory Gieseke, HDR Inc.; Joe Dvorak, HDR Inc.; Riley Adams, Calibre Engineering; Ben Nelson, City of Anoka; Chris Lord, Anoka Soil and Water Conservation District; Martin Weber, HDR Inc.
ABSTRACT: The Rum River in Minnesota is a tributary to the Mississippi River. It flows out of Mille Lacs Lake and joins the Mississippi River approximately 20 miles upstream of the Minneapolis/St. Paul metropolitan area. The Rum River is a significant coolwater ecosystem and is included in the State of Minnesota’s Wild, Scenic, and Recreational River Program. A wooden dam on the Rum River was initially constructed in 1853 to provide power for the early timber industry. After several modifications, the concrete dam today only provides for flood control and a summer recreational pool. The City of Anoka is now evaluating large scale reconstruction/modification and retrofitting to accommodate multiple uses and visions for the community. Candidate uses include hydroelectric power, a lock system for recreational boaters, a whitewater park, fish passage, and safety upgrades. We applied a water allocation model to determine the optimal combination of uses based on the amount of water available throughout the year. Our initial design work indicates that fish passage, a boat lock, and a whitewater park may be feasible. A comprehensive, multi-use system will serve many benefits, and a modernized, gentrified dam will be a key focal point for the local community.
