Gov. Tim Walz tours Rapidan Dam damage Tuesday
RAPIDAN TOWNSHIP, Minn. — Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz on Tuesday got a first-hand look at the site of disastrous flooding in southern Minnesota, which partially damaged a dam and led to the destruction of at least two historic buildings.
Raging waters caused an abutment of the 114-year-old Rapidan Dam to partially fail on June 24. An iconic home that sits on a nearby enbankment was swallowed into the Blue Earth River, and the beloved Rapidan Dam Store was bought and demolished by local officials to prevent it from falling to the same fate.
It was a home for the community and a staple for over 50 years. Despite water levels receding, the concern is far from over.
Officials say that as river levels rise, they're concerned for the partial or full failure of the bridge, as fast-moving water is washing away its stability.
As for the integrity of the dam, engineers have not seen any cracks. It's now all-hands-on-deck as recovery begins with help from federal, state and local officials.
Walz emphasized that the cost of the repairs will be shared with state and local officials, meaning that it does not fall solely on the hands of the county commissioners.
The Rapidan Dam Store, which WCCO profiled in a 2022 episode of "Finding Minnesota," stood for more than 100 years, and for half that time, it was run by Jim Hruska and his family.
"My family has lost their home, they've lost their business, their livelihood and their land will be gone," said Shannon Whittet, Hruska's niece. "This isn't a simple situation of something happened, and we will rebuild. The land will be the last thing. And it will be gone."
The dam is located on the Blue Earth River in Rapidan Township — about 14 miles south of Mankato. It opened in 1910. The National Inventory of Dams rated the dam in poor condition as of April 2023, classifying its hazard potential as "significant."