darell1976 Posted January 20, 2011 Share Posted January 20, 2011 I thought we could get a flood talk going especially with all the media hype recently. Here in Fargo it looks really bad. For starters our river froze just 2 feet below flood stage (18ft), which is a lot higher than in the winter of 08-09. We have gotten more snow than we did in Jan. of 09 and the water in the snow is more than it was at this time 2 years ago. They say 50-50 shot at 38 but a chance at 42 (40.84 in 09 is the record). Well to put it this way at 45 you could almost kiss Fargo goodbye. 45 is the top of the VA Center dike (just 6 blocks from my house!!). So I am praying it doesn't go that high but that is the highest dike in Fargo/Moorhead. The other dikes in Fargo vary thoughout the city but only a couple are 40 and over without adding sandbags. So how is the flood talk where you live? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oxbow6 Posted January 20, 2011 Share Posted January 20, 2011 I thought we could get a flood talk going especially with all the media hype recently. Here in Fargo it looks really bad. For starters our river froze just 2 feet below flood stage (18ft), which is a lot higher than in the winter of 08-09. We have gotten more snow than we did in Jan. of 09 and the water in the snow is more than it was at this time 2 years ago. They say 50-50 shot at 38 but a chance at 42 (40.84 in 09 is the record). Well to put it this way at 45 you could almost kiss Fargo goodbye. 45 is the top of the VA Center dike (just 6 blocks from my house!!). So I am praying it doesn't go that high but that is the highest dike in Fargo/Moorhead. The other dikes in Fargo vary thoughout the city but only a couple are 40 and over without adding sandbags. So how is the flood talk where you live? Live in south Fargo where this fall we finally got an earthen dike behind our development that is suppose to protect us to 42'. The 3' wide creek behind us turns into a small lake going west. Big enough to jet ski on! 41.5' floods my basement. 43' and change covers my main floor. 50% odds it goes to 38' per the NWS...bet your 401K on the over. It's going to get real ugly come late March. In '09 I had 3 Nat'l Guard checkpoints just to get to my house. I won't use the term "war zone" loosely, but it was close. My 10 yr. old daughter when hearing the flood forecast on the news said..."are we going to have to evacuate again?" I also have a 5 yr. old. Kids shouldn't have to deal with that on a YEARLY basis. As I told my wife this am...three strikes (3 floods in a row) and we are out! Going to move to drier ground or build a nice tree house! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darell1976 Posted January 20, 2011 Author Share Posted January 20, 2011 Live in south Fargo where this fall we finally got an earthen dike behind our development that is suppose to protect us to 42'. The 3' wide creek behind us turns into a small lake going west. Big enough to jet ski on! 41.5' floods my basement. 43' and change covers my main floor. 50% odds is goes to 38' per the NWS...bet your 401K on the over. It's going to get real ugly come late March. In '09 I had 3 Nat'l Guard checkpoints just to get to my house. I won't use the term "war zone" loosely, but it was close. My 10 yr. old daughter when hearing the flood forecast on the news said..."are we going to have to evacuate again?" I also have a 5 yr. old. Kids shouldn't have to deal with that on a YEARLY basis. As I told my wife this am...three strikes (3 floods in a row) and we are out! Going to move to drier ground or build a nice tree house! Living in North Fargo we had flood walls added by the El Zagal Golf Course to protect that area since Elm Street goes so low in that area plus a dike at the VA for 45ft is a good safety net, but I still got flood insurance like I did in 09, the policy starts in 2 weeks, my wife and kids in 09 stayed with her brother and his family in Minneapolis while I stayed here and worked although I did have a change of clothes in my SUV just in case got us thinking about where are we going this year. After going though the flood of 1997 in Grand Forks with no clean water no sewage (walking down the block to take a crap in a porta potty was bad enough) and the cleanup gives me high anxiety this time of year. I just hope my kids don't have to go through what I went through 14 years ago. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottM Posted January 20, 2011 Share Posted January 20, 2011 As I told my wife this am...three strikes (3 floods in a row) and we are out! Going to move to drier ground or build a nice tree house! Try this instead ... Seriously, I hope the weather is kind to you guys this winter/spring. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Sicatoka Posted January 21, 2011 Share Posted January 21, 2011 Stephen King's writings look amateurish compared to this flood forecast. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oxbow6 Posted January 21, 2011 Share Posted January 21, 2011 Stephen King's writings look amateurish compared to this flood forecast. Appreciate the ray of sunshine in my day today! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
siouxforeverbaby Posted January 22, 2011 Share Posted January 22, 2011 Ouch! Good Luck everyone! I hope that it doesn't get to the worst possibilities... Oxbow6, Good Luck with your kids. I know when I was in the classroom in GF, that the kids would get worried every year during the Spring. It is a bad thing to have to deal with and the best that you can do is just reassure them that they and you will be taken care of. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottM Posted February 3, 2011 Share Posted February 3, 2011 The Wall Street Journal is taking a look at the diversion plan that could wipe out Oxbow. Linky Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UND92,96 Posted February 17, 2011 Share Posted February 17, 2011 New flood forecast: http://www.grandforksherald.com/event/article/id/193840/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cratter Posted February 18, 2011 Share Posted February 18, 2011 Is the climate changing for us to have record flood after record flood? I know a 100 year flood doesn't necessarily mean 1 in a 100 years but 1% chance any given year. I think they need to change that saying or something. Given this rate 60 foot permanent flood protection in the grand cities doesn't seem adequate, especially given the foot or more added to future crests once fargo gets their permanent dikes built. 2010 flood at GF 46 foot 2009 flood in GF 51 foot 2006 flood in GF 48 foot 1997 flood in GF 54 foot 2011 50% chance of second highest flood on record? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oxbow6 Posted February 18, 2011 Share Posted February 18, 2011 In Fargo, we have had minimal snow fall,relatively speaking, and a past week of fairly significant thawing/warm weather since the first NWC river projections and yet the NWC jacks UP it's predicted forecast yesterday?? That tells me one of 2 things...someone @ the NWC really likes their power of speculation or this is really little more than a "guesstimate" this far out. I'll be optimistic and be hopeful for continued dry and temperate weather until the next NWC forecast. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darell1976 Posted February 18, 2011 Author Share Posted February 18, 2011 We (Fargo) had near nothing for precip so far in February, but after hearing some experts from the NWS the jet stream is now shifting to a more west to east pattern giving us more and more chances for storms (the current jet stream brought us cold after cold and nothing for snow). We will have a lot more precip between now and when the river starts to rise. I saw a while back on the History Channel that we are headed for another ice age instead of the global warming theory. If that happens I bet we go back to Lake Agassiz but that won't be for a long time. We are in a wet cycle thats why in summer we don't have droughts and temps everyday in the upper 90's and 100's like in the 80's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoonersNSioux Posted February 19, 2011 Share Posted February 19, 2011 Is the climate changing for us to have record flood after record flood? We're in a relatively wet period which raises the risk some. Another influence is the improved drainage off of fields. Once the thaw comes, water gets to the river faster. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oxbow6 Posted February 19, 2011 Share Posted February 19, 2011 We're in a relatively wet period which raises the risk some. Another influence is the improved drainage off of fields. Once the thaw comes, water gets to the river faster. That's a huge issue. Technology has helped the local farmers, but improved drainage IMO is the #2 reason behind the current wet cycle that raises the Red past major flood stage yearly as of late. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dakota fairways Posted February 19, 2011 Share Posted February 19, 2011 Unfortunately, the more you contain the spring melt runoff, the higher the contained water must rise. Add that to the other things mentioned here and the fact that the Red tries to flow north into still frozen rivers and lakes and the flood control dikes will continue to need to go up. Could be even worse when Devils Lake finally breaks out of its containment and goes into the Sheyenne basin. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darell1976 Posted March 4, 2011 Author Share Posted March 4, 2011 As you may have heard just a little bit the flood predictions have gone up in the southern valley especially at Fargo, but has gone down in Grand Forks. I hope everyone has gotten their flood insurance if you are in Fargo or live along the Red...I have a feeling this years flood is going to make the flood of 2009 and 1997 seem like a cakewalk. With high water from the fall rains, high snowfall, cold temps moving the crest to most likely the first week of April. Its going to really be one for the books. Stay safe everyone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wsdSIOUXfalls Posted March 4, 2011 Share Posted March 4, 2011 That's a huge issue. Technology has helped the local farmers, but improved drainage IMO is the #2 reason behind the current wet cycle that raises the Red past major flood stage yearly as of late. Waffle Plan !!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darell1976 Posted March 4, 2011 Author Share Posted March 4, 2011 Waffle Plan !!! Mmmm Waffles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wsdSIOUXfalls Posted March 4, 2011 Share Posted March 4, 2011 Mmmm Waffles. Much better than pancakes. Keeps the syrup contained! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darell1976 Posted March 25, 2011 Author Share Posted March 25, 2011 http://www.inforum.com/event/article/id/313650 There Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Local Boy Posted March 25, 2011 Share Posted March 25, 2011 For Grand Forks to flood from the the west, how high would the water level have to be? I'm talking a convergence of the overland flooding joining the Red River flooding. A 5 mile wide swatch of water that would blanket the town of Grand Forks. Does anybody know? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darell1976 Posted March 25, 2011 Author Share Posted March 25, 2011 For Grand Forks to flood from the the west, how high would the water level have to be? I'm talking a convergence of the overland flooding joining the Red River flooding. A 5 mile wide swatch of water that would blanket the town of Grand Forks. Does anybody know? I hope they don't flood since a lot of people from Fargo if they have to evacuate will be headed up there where its safe. No way GF will get to 60-63 feet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oxbow6 Posted March 25, 2011 Share Posted March 25, 2011 If the river goes to 45. Goodnight!! With the snow this week, it is now the 4th snowiest winter on record in Fargo, bumped last year to 8th all-time and bumped '08-'09 winter to 5th if my memory is correct. In the last 3 years, we have had 3 of the top 10 snowiest winters EVER!!! Lake Agassiz is starting to refill herself... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oxbow6 Posted March 31, 2011 Share Posted March 31, 2011 The calender says March 31...but waking up to ANOTHER layer of snow doesn't make it feel like April is just around the corner. For those who work in the mental health arena in the F-M area, I'm sure a few are looking at buying or upgrading lake property after this winter and pending flood season!! People here are ready to jump off of cliffs...if only they could one in the valley. Goodness has this been a long winter! BTW...Sunday's forecast has the potential for a few more inches of snow! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darell1976 Posted March 31, 2011 Author Share Posted March 31, 2011 The calender says March 31...but waking up to ANOTHER layer of snow doesn't make it feel like April is just around the corner. For those who work in the mental health arena in the F-M area, I'm sure a few are looking at buying or upgrading lake property after this winter and pending flood season!! People here are ready to jump off of cliffs...if only they could one in the valley. Goodness has this been a long winter! BTW...Sunday's forecast has the potential for a few more inches of snow! With storm after storm I think this flood could be worse than in 09 simply because of the cooler temps and the higher risks of ice jams. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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