Morris council directs manager to draft letter backing Option 2 for Crissy Lake dam project

The Morris City Council voted to direct the city manager to draft a letter expressing the city’s support for Option 2 in the Crissy Lake ("Chrissy/Mill") dam modification project, which would retain the existing water level north of County Road 10.

The proposal was the focus of extended public comment and staff discussion after a March informational meeting hosted by the Palm de Terre River Association. Sofia Maresca, watershed coordinator for the Palm de Terre River Association, told the council that the public meeting presented three alternatives and that “nothing has been finalized and we are seeking public input before signing any construction contracts.”

Why it matters: The dam and reservoir created in 1939 have shaped park development and nearby housing for decades. Supporters of Option 2 told council members that lowering water levels under the DNR’s Option 1 would expose mudflats, undermine the aesthetic and recreational value of Pondichert Park and adjacent properties, and shift long‑term maintenance burdens to the city and neighbors.

At the meeting, residents Mike Mahoney and Tony Reimers — members of the Riverside addition park neighborhood — urged the council to make a formal recommendation in favor of Option 2. Mahoney said the group “respectfully encourage[s] the city council to make a written recommendation to the DNR and to the steering committee in support of option number 2.”

City Manager Becca (city manager) summarized public comments and recommended that the council act as a unit to make a formal statement. “I would recommend the council as a unit make a recommendation to go with the update on the dam and with the option 2 to retain the water level north of County Road 10 at the current level or as close to that as possible,” she said.

Council members moved and seconded a directive to the city manager to draft a letter supporting Option 2; the motion carried on voice vote. The council also encouraged residents to submit comments through the project feedback form; the public comment period runs through March 20 and the project steering committee meets March 24.

What supporters and staff said: Maresca noted technical context raised at the public meeting — for example, long‑term sedimentation trends and the project’s unusual funding and approval path — and emphasized that the project team was soliciting input before final design decisions. She told the council there are statewide reports listing the Crissy/Mill dam as a major barrier for fish passage within the Minnesota River Basin, and described a steering committee formed in late 2024 to guide design and approvals.

Opponents and unanswered questions: At the meeting several speakers said approval and funding processes are confusing and expressed uncertainty about which agencies will have final authority. Maresca cautioned that some statutory and historic authorities (including a 1930s-era flood management plan) complicate the approvals chain but that public input will be considered. The transcript did not record a formal statement from the Minnesota DNR at the meeting; the council’s action was limited to directing staff to draft a support letter, not to approving construction or funding commitments.

Next steps: The city manager will draft a letter supporting Option 2 and circulate a draft to council members for review before sending it to the project steering committee and the DNR. Residents were urged to submit comments through the project web page before the March 20 deadline.

Ending: The council’s direction provides a formal municipal statement in advance of the steering committee meeting; final project approvals and construction contracts will depend on the project’s funding, regulatory reviews and the steering committee’s decisions.