Little Falls Dam facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Little Falls Dam
Located just downriver from the Memorial Bridge in Little Falls
Location	Little Falls, Minnesota, Minnesota, USA
Coordinates	45°58′30″N 94°22′07″W / 45.97500°N 94.36861°W / 45.97500; -94.36861
Construction began	1887
Opening date	1888
Dam and spillways
Impounds	Mississippi River
Height	24 ft (7.3 m)
Length	830 ft

The Little Falls Dam is a large structure that helps create electricity from the Mississippi River. It is located in the city of Little Falls, Minnesota, in the United States. This dam uses the power of flowing water to make clean energy for homes and businesses.

Building the Dam: A Long History

The Little Falls Dam has a long and interesting history, with several dams built over the years. Each new dam helped the town of Little Falls grow and develop.

Early Attempts to Harness the River

In 1849, a group called the Little Falls Mill and Land Company was formed. Their goal was to build a dam and a sawmill. The sawmill would provide lumber for buildings at Fort Ripley. The first dam was a "wing dam" built by James Green and his partners. It was on the east side of the falls.

Sadly, James Green passed away in 1850. His dam, mill, and land were then sold.

Challenges and New Companies

William Sturgis bought the dam and teamed up with Calvin Tuttle and James Fergus. They created the Little Falls Company. Later, it was called the Little Falls Manufacturing Company. This company built a bigger dam, a sawmill, a cabinet shop, and even a bridge.

The new dam replaced the first one. However, it was built on sand. Parts of it were washed away by floods in 1859. The dam was fixed, but it washed out again the next summer. The company faced many problems, including tough economic times. William Sturgis and James Fergus left their business interests in Little Falls with their wives. They went west to look for gold.

The Dam That Changed the Town

In 1887, a new group of investors from Louisville, Kentucky formed the Little Falls Water Power Company. They built a new dam, which was finished in 1888. This dam was very important for the town. It created many jobs and brought new people to Little Falls.

Before this dam was built, in 1880, Little Falls had only 508 people. By 1890, the population grew to 2,354 people. By 1895, it had more than doubled again to 5,116 people. The dam and the industries it attracted were a major reason for this amazing growth.

Building the Modern Concrete Dam

Construction on the fourth Little Falls dam began in 1914. This dam was made of strong concrete. Work on the east side started first. By 1918, they were building the west side. The entire dam, including a new power house, was finished by 1921. This larger power house was built to hold more generators. A third generator was added in the 1980s. More improvements were made between 2005 and 2010.

The new concrete dam raised the water level by about four and a half feet. This made the water deeper upstream. The original natural falls only had a drop of about five feet. Now, the water held back by the dam reaches about 3.5 miles upstream.

How the Dam Works Today

During the 1920s, the Little Falls Dam was bought by Minnesota Power. They also bought the Blanchard Dam, which is ten miles downstream.

In 1978, the way the dams were controlled changed. The operations for Blanchard, Sylvan, and Pillager dams were all managed from Little Falls. This meant that only four people could do the work that used to need sixteen operators. Today, the dam is controlled remotely by Minnesota Power's main office in Riverton. Only maintenance staff work at the dam itself.

Making electricity from water power is very efficient. It costs less because there are no fuel costs. Even though the Little Falls Dam is relatively small, it still makes a good profit. It produces about 4.5 megawatts of power.