Reconstruction will widen bridge, add pedestrian crossing, improve shore fishing
The bridge leading to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources’ Calhoun Lake Public Water Access in Kandiyohi County will be closed starting Sept. 15 for improvements.
The project, funded by Get Out MORE (Modernize Outdoor Recreation Experiences) dollars, will widen the bridge and ensure its structural integrity. A pedestrian crossing will also be added, which will offer a better and safer location for shore fishing in the channel that runs under the bridge.
Construction is expected to take approximately 10 weeks, and the public water access will be inaccessible while the bridge is closed.
“We are replacing one of the oldest vehicle bridges in our inventory to make it safer and provide additional shore fishing opportunities,” said Josh Kavanagh, Minnesota DNR senior wildlife specialist. “The current bridge is an old wood beam bridge in poor condition and in need of replacement.”
The project is a partnership between the DNR, along with support from the private landowner, Middle Fork Crow River Association, Kandiyohi County, Calhoun Lake Association, and Green Lake Property Owners Association.
Rock arch rapids additions
The bridge runs over the Crow River diversion channel. Below the bridge, an existing low-head dam and a newly added rock arch rapids — a series of large boulders arranged to mimic natural rapids — are also part of this project to help regulate water flow and maintain water levels across the Dietrich Lange Wildlife Management Area and in Green Lake. These improvements will also enhance fish passage and recreational opportunities.
Just northeast of the bridge site is the Calhoun Lake outlet, where another low-head dam was replaced with a rock arch rapids in fall 2025.
“The rock arch rapids at both the lake outlet and under the bridge will provide better fish passage and restore the stream to a more natural layout,” Kavanagh said.
Dietrich Lange Wildlife Management Area
The bridge, public water access and outlet at Calhoun Lake all reside within the Dietrich Lange WMA, a 900-acre WMA listed as a state waterfowl refuge that sits between Calhoun and Green lakes. The Crow River diversion channel runs west-east across the WMA and south of Calhoun Lake.
This year marks the 75th anniversary of WMAs in Minnesota. Learn more on the Minnesota DNR website.
Get Out MORE
The project is funded by Get Out MORE. Through the Get Out MORE initiative, funded in 2023, the DNR and its partners are working to help ensure Minnesotans of all abilities and interests enjoy a world-class recreation system, whatever outdoor experience they choose. Projects are planned, underway or complete in 63 of Minnesota’s 87 counties, and include improving accessibility at DNR-managed public lands throughout Minnesota; modernizing camping and related infrastructure; updating more than 100 state-managed public water access sites; investing in fish hatcheries; collaborating with local governments on shore fishing site improvements; and enhancing climate resiliency and improving stream ecology. Learn more about these on the DNR's Get Out MORE website.