City hears detailed proposal to replace Crissy Lake Dam with rock-arch rapids to improve fish passage and safety

Consultants described conceptual plans to modify Crissy Lake Dam on the Pompanoate River during the Morris City Council meeting Jan. 28, saying the preferred approach would convert the 86-year-old low-head dam into a series of rock-arch rapids that improve fish passage, remove a known hydraulic "roller" safety hazard and restore more river-like flow and habitat upstream.

The consultants noted the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources has surveyed the site and is prepared to fund portions of the design and construction. They said the change would allow many fish and some mussel species that are currently blocked from upstream reaches to move past the barrier, and would reduce ongoing maintenance by limiting debris hang-ups that were problematic with the existing stop-log design. "Lake sturgeon would be one species targeted for upstream passage," one presenter said, adding that 15 fish species absent upstream today are expected to recolonize once passage is provided.

Why it matters: Council members and members of the public pressed for detail because the dam sits in private reservoir property, abuts County/Highway 10 and the city park and campground, and because alternatives change how much of the former reservoir becomes dry land or reconnected channel. Presenters said some alternatives would create new greenspace and ADA-accessible fishing platforms, while others would retain a pool upstream. Funding available now would support rock-arch-rapid alternatives favored by the project steering committee; full dam removal or substantially lowering the crest could trigger a more costly environmental impact statement.

Key project details and schedule: Presenters described three conceptual alternatives: (1) preferred alternative — rock-arch rapids through the embankment, lower crest (roughly 1.5–1.6 feet lower than present) and new fishing access and trail/park features; (2) rapids while maintaining the upstream pool at existing crest; (3) rapids in the existing dam alignment with the pool retained. They said the DNR-funded program that supports rock-arch rapids has been used on nearby projects and that a public informational meeting is planned for late February or early March. An environmental review—specifically an Environmental Assessment Worksheet (EAW)—would follow the public meeting; that process was estimated to take about five months if initiated in April. If environmental review and permitting proceed on schedule, consultants estimated construction could begin in late 2026.

Concerns and next steps: Presenters said they are still contacting downstream and adjacent private landowners to secure access and easements needed for construction and small channel realignments. Council members and residents asked about how much of the existing reservoir would be exposed, how channel alignment would be set and what impacts campground users and existing fishing access would see. Presenters said initial survey and bathymetry show the reservoir is heavily sediment-filled and that some channel restoration work or natural channel reformation after a drawdown will guide the final alignment. They emphasized that alternatives that lower the crest substantially could require an Environmental Impact Statement and substantially higher costs.

The council did not take formal action on the dam at the meeting; consultants will meet next with Stevens County and hold the planned public informational meeting before formal design and permitting.