For those who wonder why the Red River “Valley” is so prone to flooding, I suggest the following experiment ;
1) Place a cookie sheet on a level surface.
2) Pour a gallon of water on it.
Friday morning construction began on a massive temporary dike between the Red River and downtown Fargo, after the city was told an approaching weather system could drop between one and – worst case — three inches of rain.
Under that worst case scenario forecasters say the Red River at Fargo would crest at 40 feet. That’s roughly half-a-foot higher than the historic flood of 1997.
But this won’t be like the flood of ’97. Since then, all the really low spots have been filled with new home construction.
Wish them luck.
Courtesy reader Ron F., aerial photos of the 1997 flooding. The town in the foreground is Brunkild, the lighted one is Rosenort.
I suggest that we start a major public works project that will put at least 30,000 people to work for 20 years.
Dyke Manitoba!
Y’mean there’s a REASON that all the old farmhouses are sitting on hills?
There are no hills in Manitoba.
You know, it is illegal to build houses on a flood plain. There must be grandfather clauses. Suspect a government valuation of a Fargo property would not be sufficient to support relocation. I will think positive thoughts in their general direction. There’s not been enough time passed to recover from the last flood.