Red River Rising in North Dakota: Fargo Sandbags Against Flood

by Jacob Zinn | March 19, 2010 at 02:22 pm

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A 20-mile wall of temporary clay and more than 1 million sandbags were set up in downtown Fargo to keep the area from flooding as waters rose in the Red River that runs along the border of North Dakota and Minnesota.

Residents were happy to have below-freezing temperatures on Friday that have slowed the thawing process and kept the temporary dam from overflowing. The river is currently at 35 feet and is expected to peak at 38 feet on Sunday.

Government relief teams are working with the community in preparation for the potential disaster. Parts of the city have already started flooding, but not enough to prevent people from driving.

Things are looking good,” said Karena Carlson, Fargo’s communications director. “Thirty-eight feet is still a major flood, but after last year, I think it would take a lot to put us in panic.

The city came close to being submerged last year when the Red River reached a record flood level at 41 feet. A similar flood happened to Fargo in 1997 and both prompted better flooding preparation.

Fargo Residents Prepare for Flooding

With small creeks and streams already overflowing outside the city limits, the people of Fargo who live near the river are taking extra precautions.

I’m nervous Nellie and would rather have extra protection,” said Gloria Hogue, who lives in a subdivision south of Fargo. “Our driveway is full of sandbags, and the plywood is in the garage, ready to go. It’s nerve-racking.

North of Fargo, 2 of the 3 bridges connecting Grand Forks, North Dakota and East Grand Forks, Minnesota have been closed. Red River floodwaters are expected to reach 47 to 49 feet there.

Flooding Outside of North Dakota

Spring flooding of the Red River often happens in North Dakota, but neighbouring states in the Midwest are preparing for rising floodwaters at the warning of meteorologists.

This weekend, the Mississippi River is expected to flood 6 feet above the previous flood level near St. Paul, Minnesota and officials have declared a state of emergency.

Some roads in Des Moines, Iowa were closed after the National Weather Service issued flood warnings in parts of the state.