By Sara QuamRock County Engineer Mark Sehr is requesting that the Department of Natural Resources investigate modifying the dam on the Rock River near the Luverne City Park.Sehr said he is concerned about safety and drowning hazards.He said the dam’s design causes strong undercurrents, which are unsafe, even though the dam is usually just 4 feet deep.He asked for the city’s support last week, but concerns about protecting the water source prevented Council action.City of Luverne Water and Wastewater Supervisor Al Lais said a study by the United States Geological Survey found that the dam influences 30 to 35 percent of the city’s wells.Understanding that, Sehr is waiting for an opinion from the DNR."If we could modify the dam to make it safer during the 2008 bridge construction project, the cost to the city and county would be negligible."There are special dam safety funds available through the DNR, and labor and equipment would already be on site.City Administrator Greg La Fond last week said the city could consider other safety enhancements while not affecting the water supply.The dam was built as part of the city’s electrical generation system, but is no longer used for that.In August of 1993, 15-year-old Jesse Saum drowned while walking across the dam.
