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New information presented by the Corps at their latest meetings can be found here ftp://ftp.usace.army.mil/pub/mvp/FMM_Feb_Meeting/ (opens in a new window).
FM Flood Control
Voice your opinion about Fargo Moorhead flood control.
Information about flood control for the FM area.
This website was setup to make it easy for FM area residents to voice their opinion to the Corps and the decision makers about permanent flood control in the FM area.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Paul District, along with the City of Fargo, N.D., and the City of Moorhead, Minn., will hold two public meetings in February to provide preliminary results of the second screening of possible flood damage reduction alternatives and to seek public input for the Fargo-Moorhead Metropolitan feasibility study.
After studying numerous potential flood damage reduction options for the Fargo-Moorhead Metropolitan area, the study focus was narrowed to two potential alignments that could greatly reduce the possibility of flooding in the Fargo-Moorhead Metropolitan area. These two alignment alternatives include a diversion channel through Minnesota and a diversion channel through North Dakota. The two alternatives have a total of six possible sizes, four in Minnesota and two in North Dakota.
The two meetings will be held to present this information and solicit public feedback. The first meeting will be Feb. 2 at the Centennial Hall, 207 4th St. N. in Fargo. The second meeting will be held Feb 3 at the Hanson Theater in the Center for the Arts on the Minnesota State University, Moorhead campus at 801 13th St. S. in Moorhead. Both meetings will begin at 6 p.m. with an open house, followed by a formal presentation at 7 p.m. and a question and answer period ending at 9 p.m. Anyone interested in the study is welcome to attend either meeting.
Maps presented at the 7:30 am meeting on 11-24 of the local political entities. ND 35K with a 500 year flood and the Corps NED plan which is the MN 25K with a 500 year flood.
The NED plan which the Corps must recommend and is the base for federal cost sharing. How can this plan have the best cost benefit ratio? How do they calculate the benefits?
These maps would indicate that the dike created by a diversion (any size) on the ND side is the only way to have a good chance to win a flood fight against a 700 year flood. The criteria used for determining the flood protection needed in Winnipeg was the 700 year flood.
If you choose ND your letter will be sent to:
- Governor Hoeven
- Mayor Walaker
- 2 Corps Project Managers
If you choose MN your letter will be sent to:
- Governor Pawlenty
- Mayor Voxland
- State Representative Lanning
- 2 Corps Project Managers
The two meetings will be held to provide the public with information on what alternatives will be eliminated and which ones will be carried forward. The first meeting will be Oct. 20 at the Howard Johnson Inn, Townhouse Room, 301 3rd Ave., N., in Fargo. The second meeting will be held Oct. 21 at Hagen Hall/Science Lab Complex Auditorium 104, Minnesota State University-Moorhead campus in Moorhead. Both meetings will begin at 6 p.m. with an open house, followed by a formal presentation at 7 p.m. and a question and answer period ending at 9 p.m. Anyone interested in the study is welcome to attend either meeting.
If you are not able to attend either of the public meetings this week. Please take a few minutes and look over the Corps plans.
After much study and meeting with representatives from almost all the government bodies involved with these issues we believe the following:
A genuine fear in the community was what got us together and why we believe 91% of Fargo people voted for flood protection. We all could see that the ENTIRE community was at risk of flooding. They told us in Winnipeg that fear is what motivated them to expand their diversion after the 1997 flood to provide 700 year protection.
The 500 year flood map from the corps shows water from the Red River to Mapleton.
The 700 year flood would look more like a large lake with water many miles wide from Wahpeton to Winnipeg.
Any solution must last 100 plus years.
Ideally the amount of water let through FM would get NO higher than about 30 feet.
A diversion on the North Dakota side would provide a barrier to flooding from the south, west and north.
The flow in a diversion is expected to be below ground level. Spoil banks would be more like a dike on the east side of the diversion.
Any water topping the diversion would flow west and north into fields. If the diversion overflowed in a 700 year flood the inside spoil bank would act as a ring dike around Fargo, West Fargo, etc to protect our cities. A dike would also need to be extended east to protect Moorhead.
Use clay from the diversion to also provide ring dikes for 700 year protection of farmsteads and communities in areas close to the diversion.
A result of the diversion would be to NOT require the buyout of any homes in FM.
It should provide protection to as large an area as is feasible.
It is preferable not to have a control structure in the Red River.
We want to maintain the integrity of the river corridor as well as its beauty and trees.
A diversion on the North Dakota side of the river is the only viable option. As long as the diversion has a favorable cost benefit ratio, the bigger the diversion the better. Based on the Fargo sales tax vote, political comments, etc, the chances look very good to fund a diversion with a favorable cost benefit ratio.
In Winnipeg the contractors preferred to move dirt in the winter. This would shorten the time needed to complete a diversion.
The government of Manitoba has released their report on the spring flood of 2009.
Excerpt from the report:
“Operation of flood control works reduced the Red River crest in Winnipeg by 3.05 m (10 ft), preventing
in the order of $10 billion of food damages.
Ring dikes protecting 13 communities in the Red River Valley were partially closed and two were
fully closed, preventing food damages of about $700 million. Flood protection works for 1,730
individual homes, businesses and farmyards in the valley saved another $100 million in potential
damages. The investments since 1997 on improved food protection in the valley outside of
Winnipeg were recovered several times over.”
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Paul District, along with the City of Fargo, N.D., and the City of Moorhead, Minn., will hold two public meetings in October to provide results of the initial screening of possible flood damage reduction alternatives and to seek public input for the Fargo-Moorhead Metropolitan feasibility study.
The two meetings will be held to provide the public with information on what alternatives will be eliminated and which ones will be carried forward. The first meeting will be Tuesday, October 20, 2009 at the Howard Johnson Inn, Townhouse Room, 301 3rd Ave., N., in Downtown Fargo. The second meeting will be held Wednesday, October 21, 2009 at Hagen Hall/Science Lab Complex Auditorium 104, Minnesota State University-Moorhead campus in Moorhead. Both meetings will begin at 6:00pm with an open house, followed by a formal presentation at 7:00pm and a question and answer period ending at 9:00pm. Anyone interested in the study is welcome to attend either meeting.
The feasibility study will focus on reducing flood risk in the Fargo-Moorhead Metropolitan area and surrounding areas. The study will evaluate several alternative measures, including levees and floodwalls, diversion channels, non-structural flood-proofing, relocation of flood-prone structures and flood storage. Public input is needed on the information being presented.
This study, which started in September 2008, is estimated to cost $6.4 million and take 2.5 years to complete. The Corps of Engineers will pay half the expense, and the non federal partners will pay the other half. For more information, contact the Corps project managers, Aaron Snyder at aaron.m.snyder@usace.army.mil or Craig Evans at craig.o.evans@usace.army.mil.
For more information please go to the project website at:
http://www.internationalwaterinstitute.org/feasibility/index.htm
Aaron M. Snyder
USACE Planner and Project Manager, PMP
MVD Plan Formulation Regional Technical Specialist
651-290-5489
612-518-0355 (Cell)
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