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MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Rushing waters from the Blue Earth River have already left a trail of debris and destruction on the edges of a southern Minnesota dam that partially failed last week, but officials acknowledged Tuesday the structure most in danger may be the bridge that looms nearby. The County Road 9 Bridge is at risk of crumbling, and officials said they have little recourse. The threat to the bridge accelerated after a bout of and flooding pummeled the Midwest for days.

The Blue Earth River’s water levels rose dramatically and . The dam has held up, but the specter of collapse hasn’t waned. Now, the roughly 40-year-old bridge locals use to commute across the dam from rural patches of land to nearby towns, may topple over if the weather doesn’t cooperate.



“Unfortunately, we’re at the mercy of Mother Nature at this point,” said Ryan Thilges, the public works director for Blue Earth County. “We’re very concerned about the potential for partial or full failure of the bridge.” Thilges stood atop a hillside on the eastern side of the Rapidan Dam near the Minnesota city of Mankato.

He was flanked by Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and other officials who went to the dam to get an update on flood conditions and recovery efforts. Officials are warily watching both the dam and the bridge, noting that the still-surging river has drastically changed the area.

“I think the concern is that is the bridge going to be structurally damaged by this and will it need to be repl.

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