The City of Anoka is planning a significant redevelopment of the historic Rum River Dam in the city’s downtown area. The $51 million project, which is in its preliminary design phase, would include a whitewater surfing park for kayaks and paddle boards. The Rum River Dam was first built in 1853 to power mills and woodworking shops along the banks of the Rum River. Roughly 80 years after it was constructed, Anoka took ownership of the dam. The current structure was built in 1969 and is roughly 79 yards across.

Now, Anoka is proposing a massive change to the dam and its surrounding infrastructure. That change would introduce a whitewater surfing park, a navigation lock for boats, a new fish passage, dam modernization, and a pedestrian and maintenance bridge. Among other things, the redevelopment would modernize the existing dam and allow boats to travel between the Mississippi River and the Rum River. However, the whitewater surfing feature has quickly become the most talked-about part of the project.

A city rendering of the proposed whitewater park shows kayakers traversing rapids as they navigate through a long pool that runs along the west side of the river. That pool, which is dotted with rocks and trees, starts at the top of the dam and empties into the river.

City plans say the whitewater surfing park would be the first of its kind in Minnesota and “make Anoka a unique river recreation tourism destination.” Additionally, the city claims whitewater attractions can generate millions of dollars per year for the local economy. While the dam modernization project is currently in its preliminary design phase, the city hopes to begin construction in 2028 and complete the redevelopment in 2030.