The Red River at Farg0-Moorhead has topped minor flood stage of 18 feet, and is expected to reach 20.5 feet on Monday.
The latest river reading for the Red at Fargo was 18.82 feet at 9:15 this morning.
Track river levels in Fargo by clicking on this link.
The Fargo-Moorhead diversion project is set continue on its current timeline – for now anyway.
The corps’ St. Paul District Commander, Col. Michael Price, told a group of local and Congressional leaders at a meeting this morning that the corps expects to have a chief’s report on the feasibility study ready by the end of the year as previously planned.
Read more about it on the InForum website and in tomorrow’s paper.
Water receded on Highway 11, south of Lidgerwood
Water has receded on ND Highway 11 on the south side of Lidgerwood, mile marker 153, and traffic is back to normal.
The North Dakota Department of Transportation urges motorists to drive with caution as flooding continues to affect parts of the state. Water has receded in some areas, but flooding continues to affect road conditions in other areas.
The NDDOT has the following road and lane closures in place throughout North
Dakota:
The following highways/areas are closed due to water over the roadway:
· ND Highway 5, twelve miles south of Pembina. Motorists should use alternate route.
· ND Highway 66, one mile east of Drayton. Motorists should use alternate route.
· ND Highway 17 Red River crossing, 11 miles east of Grafton.
The following highways have water on the roadway but remain open to traffic:
· ND Highway 13, two miles west of Lehr. Traffic control in place. Speeds reduced to 20 mph.
· ND Highway 3, one mile west of Ashley. Traffic control in place. Speeds to 20 mph.
· ND Highway 32, six miles north of Lisbon has water near the road. Motorists should use caution.
The following highways are reduced to one lane due to levee construction:
· ND Highway 11, one mile south and then east of Forman has a temporary gravel surface. Traffic control is in place. Speeds reduced to 15 mph.
· ND Highway 13, near LaMoure. No oversize or overweight loads allowed from LaMoure to Edgeley.
· ND Highway 11 at Lidgerwood. No oversize or overweight loads allowed.
The North Dakota Department of Transportation encourages motorists to check road conditions before traveling due to rapidly changing conditions. Fluctuating water levels make it difficult to predict when and where water will go over a roadway or recede from the roadway. For updated road information, call 511 from any type of phone or go to the
Travel Information Map on our website at www.dot.nd.gov.
Water has receded on I-29, 14 miles north of Manvel. Both roadways are open and traffic speeds are normal.
The North Dakota Department of Transportation urges motorists to drive with caution as flooding continues to affect parts of the state. Water has receded in some areas, but flooding continues to affect road conditions in other areas.
The NDDOT has the following road and lane closures in place throughout North Dakota:
The following highways/areas are closed due to water over the roadway:
· ND Highway 5, twelve miles south of Pembina. Motorists should use alternate route.
· ND Highway 66, one mile east of Drayton. Motorists should use alternate route.
· ND Highway 54, between I-29 and Oslo, MN. Local traffic is allowed. Traffic control in place.
· ND Highway 17 Red River crossing, 11 miles east of Grafton.
The following highways have water on the roadway but remain open to traffic:
· ND Highway 200, three miles east of Hurdsfield. Speeds reduced to 25 mph. Traffic control is in place.
· ND Highway 32, six miles north of Lisbon has water near the road. Motorists should use caution.
· ND Highway 1, five miles southwest of Ludden on the North Dakota-South Dakota border. Traffic control is in place, speeds are reduced.
The following highways are reduced to one lane due to levee construction:
· ND Highway 11, one mile south and then east of Forman has a temporary gravel surface. Traffic control is in place. Speeds reduced to 15 mph.
· ND Highway 18, nine miles south of Lidgerwood has a temporary gravel surface. Traffic control is in place. Speeds reduced to 15 mph.
· ND Highway 13, near LaMoure. No oversize or overweight loads allowed from LaMoure to Edgeley.
· ND Highway 11 at Lidgerwood. No oversize or overweight loads allowed.
FARGO – Cass County’s spring flood emergency operations are beginning to wind down as the Red River and its tributaries continue to recede, officials announced today.
The county’s emergency operations center has been scaled back and calls for Emergency Manager Dave Rogness should be directed to his office at (701) 241-5800.
Similarly, the public safety tactical operations center also is being scaled back this week. Any law enforcement issues should be directed to the Sheriff’s Office at (701) 241-5800.
Federal agencies that have been helping Cass County law enforcement with flood rescues have been demobilized, although the North Dakota National Guard has one high-profile truck available and five troops.
Cass County officials are not seeing damages that make it likely that individ-ual property owners would qualify for financial help from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Homeowners who have suffered property damages should contact the County Emergency Management Office.
Sandbag pickup in areas affected by the Red and Wild Rice rivers have started this week. A second pass through those areas will begin the week of April 5.
Rural residents who have drinking wells that were covered by flood waters should have their water supply tested. Fargo Cass Public Health’s environ-mental lab is located at Fargo’s water treatment plan, 435 14th Ave. S.
Drinking water questions can be directed to county health officials at (701) 298-6986.
Water on ND Highway 46 by Kindred has receded
The water on ND Highway 46 one mile west of Kindred has receded and traffic speeds are back to normal.
The North Dakota Department of Transportation urges motorists to drive with caution as flooding continues to affect parts of the state. Water has receded in some areas, but flooding continues to affect road conditions in other areas.
The NDDOT has the following road and lane closures in place throughout North Dakota:
The following highways/areas are closed due to water over the roadway:
· ND Highway 5, twelve miles south of Pembina. Motorists should use alternate route.
· ND Highway 66, one mile east of Drayton. Motorists should use alternate route.
· ND Highway 54, between I-29 and Oslo, MN. Local traffic is allowed. Traffic control in place.
· ND Highway 17 Red River crossing, 11 miles east of Grafton.
The following highways have water on the roadway but remain open to traffic:
· I-29 southbound roadway, 14 miles north of Manvel, is reduced to a single lane. Traffic speeds are reduced
· ND Highway 32, six miles north of Lisbon has water near the road. Motorists should use caution.
· ND Highway 1, five miles southwest of Ludden on the North Dakota-South Dakota border. Traffic control is in place, speeds are reduced.
The following highways are reduced to one lane due to levee construction:
· ND Highway 11, 4 miles south of Forman has a temporary gravel surface. Traffic control is in place. Speeds reduced to 15 mph.
· ND Highway 18, 9 miles south of Lidgerwood has a temporary gravel surface. Traffic control is in place. Speeds reduced to 15 mph.
· ND Highway 13, near LaMoure. No oversize or overweight loads allowed from LaMoure to Edgeley.
· ND Highway 11 at Lidgerwood. No oversize or overweight loads allowed.
The North Dakota Department of Transportation encourages motorists to check road conditions before traveling due to rapidly changing conditions. Fluctuating water levels make it difficult to predict when and where water will go over a roadway or recede from the roadway. For updated road information, call 511 from any type of phone or go to the Travel Information Map on our website at www.dot.nd.gov.
Homeowners with sandbag dikes to receive a letter from the City authorizing removal
With river levels approaching 31 feet, the City Engineer has authorized the removal of sandbag dikes from private property in the City of Moorhead.
Homeowners may now begin to remove their sandbag dikes, placing sandbags on the street, leaving the gutter near the curb unobstructed for drainage. City crews will pick up the sandbags as soon as possible.
The Mayor and City Council will discuss providing sandbag dike removal assistance to homeowners at the April 12 City Council meeting. If approved, homeowners will be provided with a “Right of Entry” form which will permit the City’s contractor to enter private property and remove sandbag dikes for those owners who are in need of assistance. City authorized contractors would begin dike removal the week of April 19.
FARGO - With clay dikes still laid out on 2nd Street, the community’s latest flood fight was mentioned often throughout North Dakota Democrats’ two-day state convention at the Fargo Civic Center this weekend.
Many, including the state’s congressional delegation and Fargo Deputy Mayor Tim Mahoney, praised the work of local law enforcement, the North Dakota National Guard, federal agencies and – most emphatically – the thousands of volunteers who worked to protect the community.
(Mahoney even included mention of his well-known 2009 flood attire when giving a nominating speech to Rep. Earl Pomeroy. Read the story on InForum.)
During the convention banquet Saturday night, Minnesota U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar also addressed the most recent flood during a very poignant moment in her speech:
"I know you all have been through a lot in the last two years with the Red River floods, and we have, too," Klobuchar said. "But using the same frontier spirit North Dakotans and Minnesotans have always shown, for two harrowing years the men and women of this community have joined hands, held back nature and saved lives."
"A river may divide Fargo and Moorhead, but a deep friendship and common thread forever bind us," she added. "We all know that we still have some work to do, North Dakota. But we will – together – build that diversion."
But true to her nature, Klobuchar also exhibited quick-witted jokes that entertained those in attendance.
"You can always pick out someone from Fargo – or for that matter, someone from Moorhead – when they’re on the beach in Florida. They see a pile of sand and they automatically start looking for a bag to fill," Klobuchar said to much laughter from the audience.
The City of Fargo encourages homeowners to begin sandbag removal as of today, (Friday, March 26). Sandbags may be placed on the pavement adjacent to the curb for pickup. The City will begin pickup from the curb line next week.
If you need assistance for backyard sandbag removal, please visit www.cityoffargo.com for further information. Anticipated date to begin City assisted removal is April 19, 2010.
Interstate 94 Mapleton Truck Parking area now open
The Interstate 94 westbound Mapleton truck parking area is now open as water has receded.
The North Dakota Department of Transportation urges motorists to drive with caution as flooding continues to affect parts of the state. Water has receded in some areas, but flooding continues to affect road conditions in other areas.
The NDDOT has the following road and lane closures in place throughout North Dakota:
The following highways/areas are closed due to water over the roadway:
· ND Highway 5, twelve miles south of Pembina. Motorists should use alternate route.
· ND Highway 66, one mile east of Drayton. Motorists should use alternate route.
· ND Highway 54, between I-29 and Oslo, MN. Local traffic is allowed. Traffic control in place.
· ND Highway 17 Red River crossing, 11 miles east of Grafton.
The following highways have water on the roadway but remain open to traffic:
· I-29 southbound roadway, 14 miles north of Manvel, is reduced to a single lane. Traffic speeds are reduced
· ND Highway 32, six miles north of Lisbon has water near the road. Motorists should use caution.
· ND Highway 46, one mile west of Kindred has water near the road. Motorists should use caution, traffic speeds are reduced.
· ND Highway 1, five miles southwest of Ludden on the North Dakota-South Dakota border. Traffic control is in place, speeds are reduced.
The following highways are reduced to one lane due to levee construction:
· ND Highway 11, 4 miles south of Forman has a temporary gravel surface. Traffic control is in place. Speeds reduced to 15 mph.
· ND Highway 18, 9 miles south of Lidgerwood has a temporary gravel surface. Traffic control is in place. Speeds reduced to 15 mph.
· ND Highway 13, near LaMoure. No oversize or overweight loads allowed from LaMoure to Edgeley.
· ND Highway 11 at Lidgerwood. No oversize or overweight loads allowed.
The North Dakota Department of Transportation encourages motorists to check road conditions before traveling due to rapidly changing conditions. Fluctuating water levels make it difficult to predict when and where water will go over a roadway or recede from the roadway. For updated road information, call 511 from any type of phone or go to the Travel Information Map on our website at www.dot.nd.gov.
For Minnesota road conditions, call 5-1-1 or log on to www.511mn.org.
Ryan Babb
Kristen M. Daum
shaffehe
hallways
springflood
News director for The Forum of Fargo-Moorhead