The failed Rapidan Dam on the Blue Earth River

The Rapidan Dam on the Blue Earth River succumbed to scouring following a rain storm south of Mankato, Minnesota in 2024. The increased volume of water delivered from below agricultural fields due to artificial drainage (tiing) to our water bodies causes dramatic physical alterations of watercourses and surrounding infrastructure. This increased volume of water causes riverbanks to erode, sediment to build up in downstream waters, and floods that are more common and severe.