Minnesota National Guard Crew Helps With Flooding In North Dakota
WALHALLA, N.D. (AP) — A Minnesota Army National Guard helicopter and crew moved two 5-ton pumps in place Friday to help lower floodwaters threatening an earthen dam in northeastern North Dakota.
The move came two days after a North Dakota Guard helicopter helped stabilize the Bourbanis Dam with more than 200 sandbags weighing 1 ton each. The dam is located on the Tongue River, a tributary of the Pembina River.
The Minnesota Guard used a CH-47 Chinook helicopter that has the ability to lift loads greater than 10,000 pounds, the Star Tribune reported. North Dakota Guard members transported and lowered the sandbags with UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters.
National Weather Service flood warnings for the northeastern corner of the state as well as along the North Dakota-Minnesota border were expected to remain in effect until late Friday.
The 61-foot Bourganis Dam was built in 1957 with a design life of 50 years, according to information in a watershed rehabilitation plan for three dams slated for upgrades along the Tongue River.
North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum said in a social media post that he was grateful to Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz for approving the request to help North Dakota residents.
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