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| | | DIVERSION FACT SHEET
CURRENT SITUATION AND NEEDS
• F-M last major community with no permanent flood protection
• Could flood both cities completely
• Need protection for a 500 year flood
• Must last 100 plus years
• Diversion is the only solution
Coalition Members:
Ed Schafer
Ron Offutt
Steve D. Scheel
Doug Burgum
Dick Solberg
Bruce Furness
Ron Bergan
SUGGESTED DESIGN CRITERIA
• North Dakota side
• Wild Rice River to way north of Harwood – same as Corps
• Split flow to allow 30 feet through F-M in a 41 foot flood like 2009
• Protection should start at 22 feet
• Flow below ground level – spoil banks not for protection
• Slopes for farming – Alfalfa
DIVERSION
• Equal protection on both sides of the river
• 30+ miles of protection – lowers the river level
• No chance of complete failure
• Homes can stay
• Allows development on the river
• No obstruction of the river view
• Enhance property values
• Golf courses and parks – some protection
LEVEES
• Who has the higher dikes
• Raises river level in and south of F-M
• Significant chance of failures
• Many homes removed or affected
• Restricts development and use of the river
• Unattractive view
• Decrease property values
• Relocate?
FACTS FOR A SPLIT FLOW DIVERSION
• The 1826 flood was 40% larger than the 1997 flood in Winnipeg. April 4, 2009 the National Weather Service said there was a 10% chance of a 44.6 foot crest in Fargo. F-M, not just property along the river, could be flooded.
• A plan is needed to allow us a chance to survive a flood of this magnitude.
• A 500 year flood can occur at any time – it could be next year.
• Sending one half of the water into a diversion would make fighting a large flood manageable.
• We are in a wet cycle.
• The Red River soil is unstable.
• F-M is the last major community in the valley with no significant permanent protection.
• Must have a zero possibility of over a 40 foot flood so that the Main Avenue Bridge does not act as a dam.
• The design could direct any water over approximately 22 feet to about 30 feet down the diversion,
then about one half the entire flow.
• The flow in a diversion is expected to be below ground level. Spoil banks would be more like a dike on the east side of the diversion.
• Topping the diversion would flow west and north into fields.
• Topping the proposed Corps levees would inundate the cities.
• Physics – the amount of water is not increased at the outlet by the diversion.
• Levees have many failure modes such as: design flaws, shifting soil, water over or under, through, etc.
• Forcing the water into a narrower channel such as a levee system increases the height of a flood.
• The slopes can be used to grow alfalfa.
• Buyouts along the river are not required.
• Residents of F-M can feel secure during a flood.
• Stress would be reduced and lives saved (relocating the elderly and sick).
• Will increase values along the river and in the cities.
• The 2009 flood had a huge negative impact on the F-M economy – West Acres Mall closed for days, etc.
For Immediate Release
June 29, 2009
Contact: Ed Schafer
(701) 219-0528
COALITION OF BUSINESS, COMMUNITY LEADERS SUPPORTS SPLIT FLOW FLOOD DIVERSION ON NORTH DAKOTA SIDE
FARGO
The Flood Protection Coalition for the F-M Community announced today their support for a Split Flow Flood Diversion project to provide safe, secure protection for Fargo-Moorhead from minor or major flood risks in the future.
“We’ve looked at all the options on the table and strongly agree that a split flow diversion provides the safest, most reliable long term flood protection for our communities,” Schafer said. “It is also the most politically feasible and least disruptive for our residents and businesses.”
The key advantages of the Split Flow Diversion are:
• Protection of our communities for a 500 year flood event which will last 100+ years
• Equal protection on both sides of the river
• 30+ miles of protection – lowers the river level
• No chance of complete failure
• Homes can stay
• Allows development on the river
• No obstruction of the river view
• Enhances property values
• Golf courses and parks – some protection
The disadvantages of a levee system include the following:
• Raises river level in and south of F-M
• Significant chance of failures
• Many homes removed or affected
• Restricts development and use of the river
• Unattractive view
• Decrease property values
• Relocation issues
Members of the coalition supporting the diversion include: Ed Schafer, Ron Offutt, Steve D. Scheel, Doug Burgum, Dick Solberg, Bruce Furness, and Ron Bergan.
The Corps of Engineers is currently in the process of reviewing all permanent flood protection options for the community, including the Split Flow Diversion. Schafer and the coalition members urge Fargo residents to contact the Corps in support of the Split Flow Diversion project.
For more information or to get involved go to www.fmfloodcontrol.com.
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ABOUT A DIVERSION
• Where would it start and end? Wild Rice River west of I-29 and end north of Argusville.
• What areas would be protected? Both sides of the river for the length of the diversion and to some extent about 10 miles south of the inlet.
• What cities/areas would be protected? Fargo, Moorhead, West Fargo, Oakport, Briarwood, Round Hill, Hickson, Horace, Oxbow, Harwood, and more.
• How much would be diverted? The total flow of the Wild Rice and the overland flooding from there to West Fargo which is about one half the flow of the Red River. Additional amounts from the Red River could be added if needed at a later time to maintain the best balance.
• How much will the Federal Government pay? 65% of $650 million of a $1 billion project.
• Where will the other money come from? States of ND and MN and the cities of Fargo and Moorhead.
• Does it work? It has worked as advertised in West Fargo, Winnipeg and other areas.
• How soon could it be started? If a diversion could be selected as the method, it should shorten the process.
• Will it take a lot of farmland out of production? No. It is estimated it will only take 600 acres out and change 4000 from corn to alfalfa.
• Why are we having these large floods? Wet cycle – see Devils Lake – 8 of 10 record floods in the last 40 years.
• What happens if the flood exceeds the capacity of the diversion? It overflows to the west and north over farmland.
• Does it dump water on Harwood? No – will enter the Red River way north of Harwood and it is the same amount of water.
• What is the size? It is estimated to be 20 to 30 feet deep and average 75 feet wide at the bottom and approximately 500-700 feet at the top.
• Can Eminent Domain be used to acquire the land? Yes – same as would be needed for a levee system.
• What is the probability of a crest over the 2009 level? The national Weather Service on April 4, 2009 indicated a 10% chance of 44.6 feet for the second crest.
• Should we build more dams? Valley City had a major flood this year and about 100% of the water from its drainage area is stored in Devils Lake or flows into the Baldhill Dam. Spillways were washing out such as Clausen Springs.
• Should we hold the water on the land? This can work to a limited extent, but when it starts going overland it washes out the roads – see 2009 news articles.
• Can the Corps assure us the levee system will not fail? No!
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