The Fond du Lac Dam is the first hydro project on the Saint Louis River when heading upriver from Duluth. It is contained within the borders of the Jay Cooke State Park. In this region, the Saint Louis River drops 577 feet from an elevation of 1,179 feet in Cloquet down to the lake level of 602 feet. The Fond du Lac Dam is the final 78 feet of that 577-foot drop. The Fond du Lac Dam is owned by Minnesota Power, a division of ALLETE Inc. The dam generates 12 megawatts of power. A large volume of water goes over the spillway bypassing the powerhouse. As a result, there are discussions about adding more generators and increasing the power output by 10 megawatts.

AMI provide a complete analysis and reinforcement of the existing 30 foot wide x nine foot high tainter gates on the dam. The client required analysis to be completed to determine the cause of a common member failure at 6 gate locations and to assure the gates meet the current standards for ice loading. To complete the analysis, AMI had to determine the current hydrostatic and ice forces to derive proper loading scenarios. A complete structural model was developed in Ram Advance. Within the program, a complete structural analysis was performed, and the results determined recommendations for structural steel modifications and shoring. AMI designed and prepared the design to allow for sequential replacement of members while still under load to keep the dam in operation during the rehabilitation project.

In addition to the above services, AMI performed field inspections prior to the design changes and analysis, as well as aided in completing the repairs. AMI prepared complete plans, specifications, and prepared complete calculations to FERC for review and approval prior to the construction activities.