NationStates Jolt Archive


Red River Valley Flooding

Seangoli
27-03-2009, 17:58
Well, as some of you may(or may not) know, I live in the Red River Valley on the border of North Dakota/Minnesota. This year is turning out to be living hell for the residents of the Valley, with several dikes already breaking, and barely being able to keep up with the rising river level. In my town of Fargo/Moorhead, there are already massive evacuations out of several areas of the town. All non-essential businesses have been shut down, and no travel is advised to speed up the evacuation process. The short of it is, we're going to hell in a handbasket. With new predictions even higher than expected, there is really nothing we can now.

Some info on the area:
http://www.ndsu.nodak.edu/fargoflood/
JuNii
27-03-2009, 18:01
Good Luck and keep us posted.
DrunkenDove
27-03-2009, 18:01
You should buy a jet-ski and rule your area as a waterworldesque pirate, only not as sucky.
Ashmoria
27-03-2009, 18:02
good luck to you in avoiding the flood waters.

did they not improve flood control after the last massive flooding disaster?
South Lorenya
27-03-2009, 19:22
They did, but according to yahoo news, they even passed 1897's record of 40.1 feet.

Here's hoping the levees hold out.
The One Eyed Weasel
27-03-2009, 19:26
You should buy a jet-ski and rule your area as a waterworldesque pirate, only not as sucky.

I approve of this.

Good luck man. I know it's dumb to say, but objects can be replaced, be careful.
Dalmatia Cisalpina
27-03-2009, 20:25
I'm in the valley, too. Take some deep breaths. Do what you can -- sandbag, field calls for your family (more helpful than it sounds, trust me), and carry everything that would make you cry if it were lost to higher levels.

36 more hours. That's what'll decide this in Fargo. Deep breaths.
Non-Exploding Cupcake
27-03-2009, 21:03
Follow others' advice, take measures to preserve your property, evacuate the area.... and come back in a helicopter with a camera. Because if you're not actually involved in them, floods are really *cool*. Especially afterwards, when the more crazy-prepared of us have been keeping their kayak in the house for just such an occasion and can paddle down the streets to loot the grocery store even under six feet of water.

Not that I've ever done anything like that, of course. That would be illegal. <.<
Indri
27-03-2009, 22:42
With how it's being covered by the local news you'd think there was anoth 9/11. KSTP's second channel is running almost non-stop rebroadcasts of "breaking coverage" that was dated when it first aired. People shouldn't build in a flood plane or a valley that freezes over and not at least consider the possibility of a flood at some point.

It was pretty funny when the CNN reporter got arrested for standing around and taking pictures on one of the dikes.
Seangoli
28-03-2009, 00:20
Oh, my building is in no immediate danger, however it's still going about so-so right now for the rest of the area. I was out sandbagging at Oakpark(A township a bit north of Moorhead), and most of that area has been inundated by now. I was out until 2 a.m. last night filling sandbags over in Fargo, also. The evacuations so far in most areas have been voluntary, and I hope those people take this chance, even if it amounts to nothing(Better safe than sorry). Sorry if my first post sounded frantic, but I had to get going to work.

Also:
http://www.crookstontimes.com/news/x1732142153/Obama-declares-emergency-in-Polk-other-counties

At least some good news, as the President has declared a state of emergency(The good news being that we are getting some desperately needed help).
You should buy a jet-ski and rule your area as a waterworldesque pirate, only not as sucky.



good luck to you in avoiding the flood waters.

did they not improve flood control after the last massive flooding disaster?I was thinking of building a Noah's Pirate-Ship-Ark, but this is an interesting idea... must check it out further.


Yes and no. There have been talks of putting up a permanent dikes, however property owners were pretty much vehemently against the idea. However, they did have a far smoother operation this year than in '97. So, yeah. More or less. It's just so incredibly unprecedented for this level of flooding, and it started about three weeks earlier than expected.


They did, but according to yahoo news, they even passed 1897's record of 40.1 feet.

Here's hoping the levees hold out.

Yup, the level reached that earlier today. The river has been slowing its rise, however they believe it could possibly get to 42 feet(There are a lot of factors involved, and something completely random could happen to cause a rapid increase). The main problem is, most of the dikes were built either to 41 feet earlier this week, or to a state that could only withstand 41 feet. They had to do a mad-rush in a lot of areas to get things up to level, and with the water being predicted at that level for possibly a week, anything could happen.

I'm in the valley, too. Take some deep breaths. Do what you can -- sandbag, field calls for your family (more helpful than it sounds, trust me), and carry everything that would make you cry if it were lost to higher levels.

36 more hours. That's what'll decide this in Fargo. Deep breaths.


Yup, I know I sounded frantic, but really I'm at wits end. I've been out sandbagging ever day for the past week, am worn out, tired, sore to all hell, sick, and burned out completely. I've had to deal with certain people who are barely appreciative of the work we did on their house(Basically they sat inside drinking coffee watching us work, taking pictures of us work, not doing a damn thing to save their own property, even the perfectly able bodied ones), ones that are putting their neighborhood at risk because they decided to be lazy on their dikes(Far to narrow at the base, and far to high), freezing my arse off, coughing up dirt in phlem. Of course, I don't mind doing it at all, but my mind and body are both getting worn down. However, for those along the river itself, I can't imagine what they are even going through. All I have to worry about, for the most part, is A)Power and water going out; B)Sewage backing up; and C) The levees breaking, and flooding out my apartment building(Possibly causing a fire). Fortunately, I have an emergency plan in place to get out of town if need be, but it's kind of chaotic in town right now.

With how it's being covered by the local news you'd think there was anoth 9/11. KSTP's second channel is running almost non-stop rebroadcasts of "breaking coverage" that was dated when it first aired. People shouldn't build in a flood plane or a valley that freezes over and not at least consider the possibility of a flood at some point.

It was pretty funny when the CNN reporter got arrested for standing around and taking pictures on one of the dikes.

Eh, yeah, that is a good point. This wasn't completely unpredictable, just unprecedented in scale and time.

Also, the fun thing is the city officials pretty much asked all non-local news teams to stay out of the area. They don't know how to get out of town, where to park, what to do, the rules, and only cause more problems than anything. The cops are done messing around with anyone screwing around on the dikes or the river, also, arresting the individual and fining their asses $500.
UpwardThrust
28-03-2009, 01:19
Good luck ... I am not in the Vally but the Mississippi is on the rise here as well ... nothing like up there but I hear they had to sandbag some area's (more central Minnesota)

But with the Mississippi and how high up everything is surrounding it there is not too much ongoing concern in this area
Conserative Morality
28-03-2009, 01:23
If it keeps on rainin, levees goin to break,
If it keeps on rainin, levees goin to break,
When the levee breaks Ill have no place to stay.
Mean old levee taught me to weep and moan,
Lord, mean old levee taught me to weep and moan,
Got what it takes to make a mountain man leave his home,
Oh, well, oh, well, oh, well.
Dont it make you feel bad
When youre tryin to find your way home,
You dont know which way to go?
Ifreann
28-03-2009, 01:24
I hope you can swim.
Lord Tothe
28-03-2009, 01:52
Appropriate song: "Muddy Water" by the Seldom Scene.

I lived in MN in '97, and I well remember the flooding then. Be careful.
The Lone Alliance
28-03-2009, 17:50
I heard the flood waters have literally frozen over in some places, looking at the pictures on the site I can't tell which is the flood.
Like this:
http://www.ndsu.edu/fargo_geology/flood_photos/march_2009/14th_ave_n_fargo_nd_40.7_ft_27-iii-2009_schwert.jpg

If you didn't know it was a flood you might just think it was very deep snow on the left.
Seangoli
29-03-2009, 02:34
I heard the flood waters have literally frozen over in some places, looking at the pictures on the site I can't tell which is the flood.
Like this:
http://www.ndsu.edu/fargo_geology/flood_photos/march_2009/14th_ave_n_fargo_nd_40.7_ft_27-iii-2009_schwert.jpg

If you didn't know it was a flood you might just think it was very deep snow on the left.

Yup, that's pretty much the deal we have with the last blizzard we had a few days ago. I was over in Oakport on wednesday, and stepped into two feet of water because I thought I was going into solid ground. Very dangerous in certain parts right now.

Fortunate news:

The river level seems to have stopped rising. Of course, it could fluctuate by as much as a foot over the next week, and it's not going to drop any significant amount for another three to seven days, but it seems the absolute worst is over as far as the river level is concerned. Now we just need to see if the dikes will hold. Apparently some of the earthen ones are being eroded a bit by the current, but it's not dire yet in those areas. A few compromised areas were taken care of immediately, and only a few sewer problems so far. 24 hour watches have been placed on the dikes, so hopefully if there is a problem, it can be taken care of quickly enough.

Cross your fingers, people, because now all we here in the valley can do is wait and see.