Park district seeks $17 million for dam

The pool behind the Coon Rapids dam is filling back up and could be marked with safety buoys and ready for recreation by Friday.

And the dam itself could get attention if a special session is called of the Legislature.

Three Rivers Park District said it will again urge legislators to spend $17 million to make the dam a barrier to unwanted invasive fish.

The park district, based in suburban Hennepin County, wants to divest itself of the nearly 100-year-old dam and had hoped during the regular session that legislators would improve the dam and transfer its ownership to the Department of Natural Resources.

Straddling the Mississippi River between Anoka and Hennepin counties, the aging structure could be improved to protect northern lakes from the upstream migration of Asian carp and other unwanted fish, the DNR has said.

Early in the session $16 million for dam improvements was included in a $500 million bonding bill put forward by Gov. Mark Dayton. Later, legislators pared the amount to about $30 million and removed the dam project from the list.

Ultimately, legislators did not pass a bonding bill of any kind.

Now, said Boe Carlson, assistant superintendent for Three Rivers, "our position is hopeful and optimistic that a bonding bill may resurface in some type of special session. We all recognize that there is going to be a special session. At that time we will make another play at it."

Park District Chair Larry Blackstad said cities along the river near the dam support the park district's efforts to get the structure improved. "We are probably more than ever speaking from a united position," he said.

If legislators don't take up the dam this year, the park district will try again next year, Blackstad said. "We haven't changed our position. We can't afford to keep maintaining this thing."

Earlier this spring, high water on the Mississippi River kept Three Rivers from raising the recreational pool behind the dam. Raising the pool to its summer elevation began last Monday.

An inspection of the dam was to occur Friday. If there were no issues, the pool will reach its summer elevation and the safety buoys will be in place about June 24.

The Anoka County boat launch on the east side of the dam will open when the buoys are in place.

Laurie Blake • 612-673-1711