Red River Crested But Flood Fight Not Over
FARGO, N.D. (WCCO) -- In Fargo and Moorhead, the Red River is already dropping. It crested Saturday night at 38.7 feet which is two feet shy of the record set in 2009.
Even though the Red River is no longer rising, the flood fight is not over.
"Just checking things out, just like everyone else is," said Mark Loock, who lives north of Moorhead.
The levees are holding up against the river, but Sunday's rain could make the more than 50 miles of levee work a waste of time.
"So we have pumps to make sure, as water accumulates, it's pumped into the river. If we don't do that, what's going to happen is the dike is going to get wet underneath and slide into the river," said Dan Fisher, a Fargo homeowner.
Everyone is well aware of how quickly water can overtake a town -- they learned that lesson in 2009.
"It's serious business, a lot of stress involved," said Fisher.
As of Sunday, both cities remained dry. Daily readings from a Doppler device helped pinpoint the expected crest.
"The faster you get flow measurement, the easier it is to get a snapshot in time of what the river is doing," said Dan Thomas, of the U.S. Geological Survey.
New developments in levee building also helped the city get barriers up more quickly. A water-filled dike is keeping the river away from the Fargo Country Club.
"It allowed us to get a step ahead of the flood," said Dave Johnson, the assistant director of Fargo Public Works.
At 38.7 feet the Red River hit its fourth highest crest in history, but it may be the first year Fargo and Moorhead can claim a real victory against Mother Nature.
Overland flooding remains an issue in Cass County. At least 90 miles of roads have been shut down due to flooding.
"We won't rest until it's at 36 feet that would be the first breath of relief," Fargo Mayor Dennis Walaker.
