The St. Cloud Dam is a

dam A dam is a barrier that stops or restricts the flow of surface water or underground streams. Reservoirs created by dams not only suppress floods but also provide water for activities such as irrigation, human consumption, industrial use, aqua ...

across the

Mississippi River The Mississippi River is the main stem, primary river of the largest drainage basin in the United States. It is the second-longest river in the United States, behind only the Missouri River, Missouri. From its traditional source of Lake Ita ...

in the town of St. Cloud, Minnesota, in the United States. The dam is high and features a flip-up gate on its top to raise the water level and dragon's teeth at the bottom which are used to disperse energy. The dam also has two 4.5 MW turbines which generate electricity that is fed into the

Xcel Energy Xcel Energy Inc. is a U.S. regulated electric utility and natural gas delivery company based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, serving more than 3.7 million electric customers and 2.1 million natural gas customers across parts of eight states (Color ...

power grid. The original dam at this location dated from 1887, and ownership was transferred from

Northern States Power Northern States Power Company () was a publicly traded S&P 500 electric and natural gas utility holding company based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, that is now a subsidiary of Xcel Energy (). History The company's founder, Henry Marison Byllesby, ha ...

to the city of St. Cloud in 1967. During reconstruction of the dam in 1970, a

cofferdam A cofferdam is an enclosure built within a body of water to allow the enclosed area to be pumped out or drained. This pumping creates a dry working environment so that the work can be carried out safely. Cofferdams are commonly used for constru ...

was built upstream from the construction site to hold back Mississippi River waters. Due to a structural inadequacy, the cofferdam washed out on October 31, 1970. The energy of the impounded water caused extensive damage to the construction site and downstream areas. The current dam was retrofitted to produce hydroelectric power, and is used by various

hydrology Hydrology () is the scientific study of the movement, distribution, and management of water on Earth and other planets, including the water cycle, water resources, and drainage basin sustainability. A practitioner of hydrology is called a hydro ...

classes at the adjacent

St. Cloud State University St. Cloud State University (SCSU) is a public university in St. Cloud, Minnesota, United States. Founded in 1869, the university is one of the largest institutions in the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system. In the fall of 2023, it ...

to demonstrate hydrodynamic properties and to show how power is converted into electricity. It produces 8.5 megawatts and is the largest city-owned hydroelectric facility in the state. The dam is located just south of University Drive SE, both connecting the

Stearns County Stearns County is a county in the U.S. state of Minnesota. As of the 2020 census, the population was 158,292. Its county seat and largest city is St. Cloud. Included within the Minnesota Territory since 1849, the county was founded by Europe ...

section of St. Cloud to the Sherburne County section.

References

External links

*Map: {{DEFAULTSORT:Saint Cloud Dam Dams in Minnesota Dams on the Mississippi River Buildings and structures in Sherburne County, Minnesota Buildings and structures in St. Cloud, Minnesota United States local public utility dams Dams completed in 1887 Dams completed in 1970