Minnesota River in Granite Falls is Site for Whitewater Park Study

The Minnesota River in Granite Falls, MN, is the site for a recently funded study to determine whether a whitewater park would be feasible for a 3-mile stretch beginning at the Granite Falls Dam and ending downstream at the Minnesota Falls rapids. On Monday, September 21^st, the Granite Falls City Council unanimously voted to match Granite Falls Riverfront Revitalization’s contribution of $10,000 by committing $5,000 of city funds and $5,000 of Economic Development Authority funds to hire John Anderson Architect, LLC and The Shimoda Group, both affiliated with the McLaughlin Whitewater Design Group. The $20,000 study over a 7-week period will explore the possibility of a whitewater bypass with dam safety enhancements at the operational Granite Falls Hydro Dam.

A whitewater park is an in-stream or enclosed waterway that is engineered to create rapids and water courses that can recreationally be enjoyed by a number of different water crafts. The development of a whitewater park in Granite Falls would include modifying a portion of the dam while allowing the rest of the structure to stay intact. The study would also look into integrating a fish ladder or passage. A fish passage would benefit shovelnose and lake sturgeon, paddlefish, walleye, flathead catfish, and sauger – in addition to many mussel species.

CURE believes that a connected river is a healthy river. Dams block a river’s flow and can interfere with clean water, fish and wildlife, and recreation opportunities. The integration of a fish passage at the Granite Falls Dam would provide an important connection in the Minnesota River. This whitewater park study brings us one step closer to reconnecting a healthy Minnesota River.