North Dakota - Minnesota Floods

[Pathfinder]

We have a real situation on our hands here in Fargo. Here's an update

Over the winter, we've had more than 5 feet of snow. Two weeks ago we had an early thaw, temps in the forties, and all that snow started melting. The Red River of the North that flows north, dividing ND and MN is flooding. Flood stage is 18 feet - the current level broke the all-time record last night at 40.68 feet (1897 IIRC) and rising.

Over last weekend, we got rain, almost an inch in places. Then, on Monday, as flood containment efforts were under way (temporary levees and dikes, sandbagging, etc.), we got a blizzard with another 5-8" snow, winds in the forties, temps in the teens overnight, twenties in the day, and generally making everyone's lives more miserable.

This morning there was a minor breach of the dike, and a small section of Fargo (100 homes or so) was mandatory evacuated. Most of Moorhead in MN has been evacuated east of 8th Ave which is a major N-S line in Moorhead.

The crest is predicted at around 43 feet sometime tomorrow. The rise has slowed down due to the cold, so they are now saying maybe tomorrow night. The crest is due to last for up to a week, which will stress the heck out of the temporary dikes.

Offices and stores in town are closed, even my work site which is well away from the flood zone. The city wants all non-essential vehicles off the road as 10,000 National Guardsmen are being brought in to replace or augment the exhausted volunteers who have been working since last week. The NG will be moving large volumes of dirt and sand to help shore up what's in place and building backup dikes and levees just in case.

Millions of sandbags have been filled and placed. In addition, Hesco Concertainers are being used - these are the same giant metal baskets being used in rapidly deployed fortified positions in Iraq and Afghanistan - wire and fabric cages filled with rocks and sand and then stacked up to form a wall. We had over 35,000 feet of these loaned by the NG last weekend.

Some areas south of Fargo (upstream - rivers run north here) have flooded and the people evacuated. Thankfully, no deaths as yet. Hospitals have been evacuated to other facilities in ND and MN. Schools will be closed next week regardless.

I live in the county west of Fargo. The local river flooded a few days back and has in fact already crested. The community was diked after the '97 floods and there are nothing but farmlands west and north, so the water has spread out over the farmlands and the town dikes are secure for now. Traveling across county roads is like driving across a causeway - nothing but water to either side. I've heard that one of my GOOD roads is closed due to water on the road. Some areas of the county are being evacuated as well as a precaution.

We are in serious need of prayers to keep this water at bay.

[Timothy]

We're praying for ya Pathfinder. 

The Red River is one of the few rivers that flows north (but you already know that) so you should see an end soon...

Stay dry...good luck...

[1776 Rebel]

Prayers still with ya buddy....Hope that there aren't any more storms lining up to hit that area...

Besides shooting shows on cable I do admit to watching some Fudd shows....Jim Shockey uses this ATV called an ARGO. Goes thru water besides driving on land...wondering how useful it might be for emergencies like this.

[PegLeg45]

I've only seen flooding like that twice in my life ('94 & '98) when the Flint River basin flooded the southwestern corner of Georgia. Worst flooding in over 100 years they said. Bad stuff to deal with.

I'll definitely keep all you folks in my prayers.

[tombogan03884]

Last year here in NH we set records for snow fall, but we got lucky in that it stayed cold into May with little rain so the snow melted slow enough for the streams and rivers to contain it.
Good luck to you folks.

[Sponsor]

[Pathfinder]

Prayers still with ya buddy....Hope that there aren't any more storms lining up to hit that area...

Besides shooting shows on cable I do admit to watching some Fudd shows....Jim Shockey uses this ATV called an ARGO. Goes thru water besides driving on land...wondering how useful it might be for emergencies like this.

They do sell them up here, but most of the state is relatively dry. I would not want to try one in water at 15 degrees with ice. You would last all of 30 seconds if you fell out or sank.

Having said that - I want one . . .  

[CZShooter]

One of my co-workers was out in Fargo this week to visit a machine builder for a factory acceptance test. What they ended up doing was sandbagging.

My prayers are with you, Path.

[twyacht]

Pathfinder,

Hope and pray you and your neighbors & friends get to high ground until the river goes down.

Stay safe,

Tom W.

[MikeBjerum]

The Argo is a great tool in the right situation, but it is not for flood waters like they get in Fargo/Moorhead.  The forward propulsion is from the six or eight wheels spinning, and it can not fight the currents.  They do make a mount for an outboard motor as an option, but with such a strange profile in the water I would hate to try and control one.

The part I don't know is how they would handle the ice chunks coming at them.  They always feel a little unstable to me.  I've never been in one that has capsized, but do you understand the phrase "pucker power?"

Even with the amphibious craft available to the National Guard, what you mostly see is small outboard boats and cannoes.

Hang tight up there!  Last time I was north of the ridge it looked like there was a lot of snow and ice to melt and come your way.

[m25operator]

Praying for relief and strength for you and your neighbors, Hold tight, and be flexible, stay frosty in your attitude.

Best of luck and God Bless.