Update on campaign to remove the Kinni dams
Recent Developments:
This fall, the City of River Falls agreed to engage the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (COE) for their support of a dam removal project, via their Aquatic Ecosystem Restoration Program. TheCOE project would involve removal of both dams and restoration of a one-mile reach of the Kinni. n November 2022, the River Falls City Council voted to proceed with the initial COE feasibility study, at an estimated cost of $800,000. The COE will assume responsibility for the first $100,000 of the study, plus one-half of the remaining $700,000, leaving the City responsible for covering a $350,000 share.
To address some budgetary concerns that the City of River Falls communicated to stakeholders, Kinni Corridor Collaborative, Inc. (KinniCC), Trout Unlimited, and other community partners pledged a contribution of $175,000 (half of the City’s $350,000 share) to help fund the COE feasibility study. To date, stakeholders working with KinniCC has raised $90,000 toward this goal, leaving a gap of $85,000 to fill by early 2023.
If you do not already know, the KinniCC is a community-led, non-profit (501(c)3) organization working with the City of River Falls and other stakeholders to implement the Kinnickinnic River Corridor Plan (KRCP), while preserving the river’s ecology and beauty.
As everyone knows, the Kinnickinnic River is a recreational treasure for our area, and we really need your help at this time to ensure the feasibility study proceeds by considering a generous donation. The KinniCC has set up a donation sight at Mighty Cause for this purpose. Thanks for your consideration.
Sponsors, Donors, and Partners
Platinum >$20K
Babcock RI Trust
Bye, Goff & Rohde Partners
Kiap-TU-Wish Chapter (WI)
Red Bottom Boat 2.0
Twin Cities TU Chapter (MN)
Wisconsin TU State Council
Gold >$5K-20K
Flygare, Tovah
Johnson, D. Kent
KinniCC Board of Directors
Mid-Missouri TU Chapter (MO)
Morrison, Sean
R4F Film Festival Team (2022)
River Sky Drones
TU Driftless Area Restoration
Silver >$1K – 5K
Benevity Fund
Blackhawk TU Chapter (WI)
Central WI TU Chapter (WI)
Coulee Region TU Chapter (WI)
D & C Brockway Charitable Fund
Elliott Donnelly TU Chapter (IL)
Frank Hornberg TU Chapter (WI)
Hanson, Amanda
Joyful Baseflow Fund
Lee Wulf TU Chapter (IL)
Marinette TU Chapter (WI)
Most, Betty
Peterson, Christina
Southeast WI TU Chapter (WI)
Southern WI TU Chapter (WI)
Vanden Bloomen, Dennis
Welter, John “Duke”
Wild River TU Chapter (WI)Wissota Hospitality/Country Inn
Kinni Friends < $1K
Amazon Foundation (Smile)
Bob Mitchell’s Fly Shop
Brilliant Impact
Chambers, Rob
Dahm, Peter & Linda
Falls Theatre
Fischbach, Lawrence & Candy
Garry, Clarke
Goff, Steve
Horvath, Gary
Hub 70
Network for Good
Ostrow, Winston
Potts, Jack
Prin, Tom
Ritzinger, Mark & Jean
River Falls School District
Topple, Ben
WIN-CRES Chapter TU (MN)
Collaboration Partners (These partners have provided a letter of support and/or technical assistance)
- American Rivers
- Ecological Restoration Institute / CAFEs– UWRF
- Express Pro Employment Services
- Feuerhelm, Langer & Nelson, CPA
- First National Bank – River Falls
- Friends of the Kinni
- Friends of Willow River and Kinnickinnic State Parks
- Freshwater Collaborative (UW System)
- Grow To Share
- Hope 4 Creation
- Illinois State Council TU
- Inter-Fluve
- Kinni Conditions Facebook Group
- Kinnickinnic River Land Trust
- Mississippi River Regional Planning Commission
- Meyers Creative
- MGI Consulting
- MightyCause
- North Woods & Waters of the St Croix Heritage Area
- Photography By Wurm
- River Alliance Wisconsin
- River Falls Chamber of Commerce
- River Falls – Neighbors For Intentional Growth
- River Management Society – Midwest Chapter
- St Croix Valley Community Foundation
- The Prairie Enthusiasts – St Croix Valley Chapter
- Wisconsin Sustainable Business Council
- Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
- United States Fish & Wildlife Service
