The Coon Rapids Regional Dam Commission will host an open house on Wednesday, November 17, 2010. The open house will be held in the Council Chambers of the Champlin Municipal Center, 11955 Champlin Drive, Champlin, from 5:00 to 7:30 p.m.
The 2010 Minnesota Legislature established the commission to advise Senate and House of Representative committees on future options for the Coon Rapids Dam. The commission will study options and provide recommendations for the future of the dam including:
1) Suitable public uses,
2) Governance,
3) Operation,
4) Maintenance, and
5) Financing of the dam and its operations.
In reviewing options and developing recommendations, the commission will consider economic, environmental, ecological, and other pertinent factors.
The Commission has developed a work plan that will: a) build common knowledge of Coon Rapids Dam interests among commission members, b) identify and analyze viable options, and c) review and discuss selected options for recommendation in the commission’s report. The report will be submitted to the Legislature by March 1, 2011.
At the open house, information will be presented about the work of the Commission, and the public is invited to make comments.
The Commission will meet at least once per month until the report is sent to the Legislature on March 1, 2011. A second open house will be held early in 2011 to provide an opportunity for the public to review and comment on the draft recommendations of the Commission. For more information on the Coon Rapids Regional Dam Commission, please contact Charlie Petersen at Charlie.Petersen@state.mn.us.
I understand that the Commission includes representatives from the Legislature; federal and state agencies that have jurisdiction over waterways; the Metropolitan Council; Three Rivers Park District; Hennepin and Anoka counties; and representatives from each of the cities adjacent to the Dam and the recreational pool.
ReplyDeleteWhat is done with the dam has an effect on other cities that are upstream from the pool. I am interested to find out if your commission has considered how the effects of what is determined for the future of the dam will affect the other upstream cities and if they were asked to be a part of the planning?
The way I see it is if the channel could be marked for PLEASURE CRAFT from mile 859 up to and beyond Elk River our economy would see growth while business and buildings along the river would then have added value attracting new investors willing to invest in the communities. The river could be used to spur us in this down economy.
It might be possible that the cost of fixing the Coon Rapids Dam is above and beyond the budget of the State or other government agencies. If the Asian Carp should get here couldn't we close the lock at Upper St. Anthony Falls and offer a bounty to anyone that kills one. Americans have never had a problem bringing other creatures to the point of extinction. Why not this fish. The meat could be made into hog feed or pet food.
I realize that if the dam was removed that the silt that has built up over the years would have to be removed to restore the channel, but the residence along the river in the old six mile pool would then have access to the balance of the navigable waters below the dam. This might be done at a far lower cost than repairs and maintenance to the dam and the loss of revenue that may be brought upstream by having a pleasure craft channel open when ever the water levels are high enough to maintain a continuous 4 foot depth for pleasure boating.