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Committee to extend study of St. Anthony Falls cutoff wall for one year after spring flooding delayed field work
Summary
Representative Jordan asked the committee to extend by one year a University of Minnesota study into the St. Anthony Falls cutoff wall after spring 2024 flooding delayed on‑water geophysical work.
Representative Jordan presented House File 2744 asking the committee to extend by one year a 2023 appropriation supporting a University of Minnesota study of the Saint Anthony Falls cutoff wall. The research team said high spring river flows in 2024 delayed on‑water geophysical surveys and that additional time is needed to review historic engineering records and continue coordination with key stakeholders.
Jeff Marr, a hydraulic engineer and associate director at the St. Anthony Falls Laboratory, described three reasons for the extension: (1) high river flows and spring flooding in 2024 impeded on‑water field work, (2) historic documents recently located by the project historian require further review because the cutoff wall is buried and cannot be directly inspected, and (3) new, active collaboration with Xcel Energy and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Paul District, requires additional meetings to develop a shared understanding of system history and current risks. Marr said the team has not discovered anything indicating immediate concern about the falls, but described the study as the proper prudential step to assess long‑term conditions.
Committee members stressed the public stakes. Chair Cleburne noted more than a dozen communities outside Minneapolis rely on the falls for water, and a catastrophic failure would have severe regional impacts. Members asked for the project presentation slides from the prior meeting and for the university to continue coordinating with emergency management.
Committee outcome
The committee renewed Representative Jordan's motion to lay House File 2744 over for possible inclusion. The project team said no additional funding was requested at this time; the extension would allow the study to complete geophysics, archival research and stakeholder coordination.
Ending
Committee members praised the technical work and agreed an extension was appropriate to complete analysis and stakeholder engagement. The bill was laid over for possible inclusion; no roll‑call was recorded in the committee transcript.
