The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Paul District, announced today that County Road 33 over the emergency spillway of the Lac qui Parle Dam has reopened near Watson, Minnesota. The reopening was coordinated with Lac qui Parle and Chippewa counties.
The temporary flood protection measures installed on June 20 have been removed, allowing the roadway to reopen to one-way traffic. The traffic pattern will remain in place through the end of construction activities to accommodate ongoing work.
Repairs to 1,300 linear feet of the spillway are resuming and are expected to be completed by December. Construction was previously delayed due to high water levels, which necessitated the installation of temporary flood protection to mitigate the risk of an overtopping event.
The Corps of Engineers appreciates the public’s patience and cooperation as it works to complete these critical repairs and ensure the safety and functionality of the Lac qui Parle Dam.
Lac qui Parle Dam is the dividing line between Lac qui Parle and Chippewa counties. It was constructed in 1936-1941 by the Work Progress Administration as part of the overall flood risk control project; however, it is the primary dam of the overall system. Before being transferred to the Corps of Engineers in 1950, the Minnesota Department of Conservation owned and operated the dam. After 1950, the Corps of Engineers constructed new features to the dam to assist with maintenance and operation of the dam including the addition of a gauging station, installing steel plate bulkheads within the bays and repairing the dam apron.
| Date Taken: | 09.22.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 09.22.2025 14:47 |
| Story ID: | 548969 |
| Location: | ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA, US |
| Hometown: | WATSON, MINNESOTA, US |
| Web Views: | 17 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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