Decisions begin flowing in Kinnickinnic River dam debate

More than two dozen people took their turn at the podium last week in River Falls, Wis., to debate the future of the Kinnickinnic River and the fate of two century-old hydroelectric dams.

In the end, the city's Utility Advisory Board voted to re-license the upper Junction Falls dam and eventually remove the lower Powell Falls dam. The nonbinding recommendation now moves to the Kinni Corridor Planning Committee for review before the River Falls City Council takes a final vote on Feb. 27.

"I believe strongly that we need a measured approach," said Patrick Richter, a utility board member who favored the compromise.

Whether to remove the two dams has been a hot topic in River Falls as a deadline approaches to re-license them both. The debate is central to the city's goal to make the river corridor more attractive in the downtown area.

Many people want the 22-mile Kinni (as the locals call it) returned to its natural free-flowing state, arguing it would bring more recreational spending to the city of 22,000. Others say the dams should be kept in place as long as they continue to produce energy.

Upstream from River Falls, the Kinni is known for its trout fishing; downstream, kayakers and canoers travel the river to Kinnickinnic State Park, where it empties into the St. Croix River.

Last week's hearing set in motion the final decisions on the dams, after more than a year of meetings and "tech talks" to acquaint residents with the pros and cons of three options.

The third option — to keep the upper dam but remove the lower — was what the utility board approved last week at City Hall.

It's a compromise, said City Administrator Scot Simpson, but probably a temporary one. The third option, he said, is a means of arriving at a foregone conclusion: that while the upper dam has years of quality operation remaining, it eventually will be removed as well.

"The word everybody seems to agree to is 'eventually,' " he said. "What that means is different to every person. I don't believe there's a lot of argument about the final conclusion, but 'eventually' is a big hurdle."

Among those arguing for removal of both dams last week was Christopher Olson, who said a free-flowing Kinni would help River Falls economically. "Stillwater has an identity, Hudson has an identity. Does River Falls have an identity? It does not," he said. "Open up the river. Let's see what this town can produce."

Chris Gagne, a City Council member, said he favors removing the dams but only when they're no longer functional.

It was about 1900 when River Falls acquired a private hydroelectric dam and built a second one to generate electricity. The Junction Falls and Powell Falls dams replaced natural waterfalls with concrete structures. Behind each dam stand shallow lake-like bodies of water, called impoundments, that have filled with sediment.

The two dams once produced all the city's electricity, but that contribution has shrunk to about 1.5 percent. Because the 30-year license to operate the hydroelectric dams expires in 2023, city officials decided to initiate a community discussion on the 6-mile stretch of the Kinni through River Falls and surrounding townships.

One utility board member, Duane Pederson, said the Kinni debate will continue for a long time. "You know once the dams are removed that's not the end of it, not even close," he said.