▁up stream . ▁Ex c av ations ▁below ▁the ▁power ▁house ▁increased ▁the ▁total ▁water ▁head ▁to ▁twenty - four ▁feet . ▁The ▁original ▁natural ▁falls ▁had ▁a ▁drop ▁of ▁only ▁about ▁five ▁feet . ▁The ▁imp ounded ▁water ▁now ▁reaches ▁to ▁the ▁Belle ▁Pra irie ▁Rap ids , ▁west ▁of ▁the ▁Belle ▁Pra irie ▁Church , ▁about ▁ 3 . 5 ▁miles ▁up stream . ▁ ▁Al ong ▁with ▁the ▁Bl anch ard ▁Dam ▁ten ▁miles ▁down stream , ▁Little ▁F alls ▁Dam ▁was ▁purchased ▁by ▁Minnesota ▁Power ▁during ▁the ▁ 1 9 2 0 s . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 7 8 , ▁autom ation ▁for ▁Bl anch ard , ▁along ▁with ▁the ▁S ylvan ▁and ▁P ill ager ▁d ams ▁on ▁the ▁Crow ▁Wing ▁River , ▁were ▁central ized ▁in ▁Little ▁F alls ; ▁this ▁allowed ▁a ▁staff ▁of ▁four ▁to ▁do ▁work ▁that ▁had ▁previously ▁required ▁six teen ▁operators . ▁The ▁operation ▁has ▁since ▁been ▁rem ot ely ▁controlled ▁by ▁Minnesota ▁Power ' s ▁central ▁dispatch ers ▁in ▁River ton , ▁and ▁the ▁dam ▁is ▁now ▁staff ed ▁only ▁by ▁maintenance ▁personnel . ▁ ▁Because ▁generating ▁electric ity ▁by ▁water ▁power ▁has ▁little ▁overhead ▁and ▁no ▁fuel ▁costs , ▁this ▁relatively ▁small ▁ 4 . 5 ▁meg aw att ▁dam ▁remains ▁econom ically ▁prof itable . ▁ ▁References ▁ ▁External ▁links ▁▁ ▁Category : D ams ▁in ▁Minnesota ▁Category : D ams ▁on ▁the ▁Mississippi ▁River ▁Category : Build ings ▁and ▁structures ▁in ▁Mor r ison ▁County ,