Fargo, Nd Flooding

Dogdots · March 25, 2009

Some of you have probably seen the news of the flooding in Fargo, ND and along with that many photos too. I've been out a few times taking photos and thought I would share the process of protecting the city from flooding. Getting in and taking photos of sandbaggers, etc is something I'm not able to do since if your in there--you should be sandbagging. We are racing with time right now to get the dikes built higher since the predictions of how high the river is going to go has increased. Fargo is still working 24hrs a day filling bags and moving earth to protect the town and the people. I want to thank the young kids of Fargo and the people who have come from around our state and other states to help. Thank-you :thumb

More photos are on my site if you wish to take a look: http://dogdotsphotography.smugmug.com/gallery/7719852_zY2zy#498895451_ix9ar

DOWNTOWN FARGO, ND

OPENING UP THE CREEKS AND WATERWAYS OUTSIDE OF FARGO SO WATER WILL FLOW

BUILDING A DIKE ALONG THE RIVER. IF YOU LOOK TO THE RIGHT IN THE PHOTO YOU WILL SEE AN EARTHEN DIKE THAT IS PERMANENT. WATER IS ALREADY UP TO THE TOP OF THAT.

THIS IS ONE OF THE PLACES THEY ARE GETTING THEIR DIRT FROM. THEY LOOK FOR DIRT THAT IS CLAY SINCE IT HOLDS BACK WATER MUCH BETTER THEN JUST DIRT.

FLATBED SEMI'S RECEIVED A POLICE ESCORT THROUGH TOWN TO GET THE SANDBAGS TO THEIR DESTINATION QUICKER.

HARD TO BELIEVE -- WINTER SNOW STORM TODAY AND FLOODING AT THE SAME TIME.

WATER IS RUNNING OVER A PERMANENT DIKE BY THE GOLF COURSE. ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE FENCE IS A HILL DOWN TO A ROAD AND THEN THE NORMAL BANKS OF THE RIVER.

scole · March 25, 2009

Having witnessed major flooding up here in Washington, my heart goes out to you folks. At least we weren't out in snow, bagging sand. Wow..

Best of luck to you.

Dogdots · March 26, 2009

scole wrote:

Having witnessed major flooding up here in Washington, my heart goes out to you folks. At least we weren't out in snow, bagging sand. Wow..

Best of luck to you.

Thank you. We are hoping for the best. Will know more after this week-end on how the dikes will hold up.

ront · March 26, 2009

I am also hoping for the best for all of you. Not a fun place to be right now.

Ron

Dogdots · March 26, 2009

ront wrote:

I am also hoping for the best for all of you. Not a fun place to be right now.

Ron

Thank you Ron.

No its not a fun place to be right now, but seeing everyone pitch in to help others is wonderful.

jgoetz4 · March 26, 2009

Good Afternoon MK,
Very good documentation and pics ( as usual

) You're right about the 24-105 IS. I might have to get one

I hope the CO snow storm doesn't make it up your way. ND certainly doesn't need any additional water. You know we're thinking about ya

Have a good & safe afternoon

Jim...

Dogdots · March 26, 2009

jgoetz4 wrote:

Good Afternoon MK,
Very good documentation and pics ( as usual ) You're right about the 24-105 IS. I might have to get one I hope the CO snow storm doesn't make it up your way. ND certainly doesn't need any additional water. You know we're thinking about ya
Have a good & safe afternoon
Jim...

Jim...you have to get a 24-105 -- its an awesome lens. As for snow...I think its going to snow right thru the summer :cry

We are loading up things tonight just in case we need to evacuate.

Dogdots · March 29, 2009

Updated Photos Of The Flood
Thought I would add a few new photos I've taken of the river in town and the overland flooding that is adding to the problems. The river has gone down around 8 inches

but we did have a major leak last night that flooded the basements at the Luthern School in town :cry

This is whats on the other side of the major dike we have in town. Now topped with an extra dike. From the other side the top looks blue in previous photos. Its used for sleding during the winter and on the other side it goes town to a parking lot, park and the river. This area is now patrolled by the Guard.

People were out yesterday taking a look at the river. The only place to get a view is from the Main St. bridge.

This morning I went out for a sunrise photo. Unfortunately I got up a little to late.

Guard Patrol...they watch the dikes day and night.

The overland flooding which has to flow into the Red River or other steams first. Some will flow into the Red past Fargo while other water will make it through town.

Dogdots · April 4, 2009

Fargo, ND Flood Update
Thought I'd post another update on the flooding in my town of Fargo, ND. since I noticed that people are still looking at the thread. The water is going down, but will rise again for a 2nd crest. The Weather Service says we have a good chance of it reaching the last crest height or higher, but our town's Mayor doesn't think it will happen. Time will only tell, but we are ready for it. I went out yesterday to take a look outside of town and the Red River is still really high and there is water all over in the fields. Loojks like one big swimming pool.

This is the same area of a previous photo I posted with a man at the gate dike. These metal gates that serve as a dike type blockage leak at the corners. Kind of scary when you see the big body of water on the other side.

This shows the plastic they laid over the clay dikes to prevent wash away when we were to get high winds which would cause waves. If you look close they tied bags of Red River Valley Red Potatoes to it to hold it down. Not the best photo, but there is a bigger on my my site.

Stock pile of sandbags for the 2nd crest. They were moving them from the Fargo Dome to the Dome parking lot. I have more photos of this on my site too.

Secondary dikes are still in place. Only they have moved some dirt aside so people can finally drive out of there. School starts on Monday and business's opened up on Wed. We just hope and pray that the 2nd crest is much lower then predicted.

bike21 · April 4, 2009

Wow, great shots! I hope everything turns out well for you guys up there! I have a few aerial shots here as well from last week. Not the greatest quality but you get the idea. Stay safe!

Drin · April 4, 2009

Nice photos all around. Impressive aerial shots, bike, never seen a flood like that before.

I'm from Winnipeg, MB, and we've experienced a fair share of flooding as well. Nothing that bad this spring, though, at least not yet. (everything froze over again, hahah) Good luck!

Dogdots · April 4, 2009

Bike---were you flying out of Fargo for the aeriel shots? I would love to have the opportunity to go up in a plane for some photos. May even get me over my fear of flying

Drin---it helps when it freezes, at least thats what they say, but all our water is heading your way. I hear you have good protection (dikes) around your area so hopefully you all will be ok.

bike21 · April 4, 2009

Dogdots wrote:

Bike---were you flying out of Fargo for the aeriel shots? I would love to have the opportunity to go up in a plane for some photos. May even get me over my fear of flying

Nope, was flying from Calgary to Chicago and had the camera with me

I do fly to Fargo on occasion, but I doubt my company would let me take folks for a spin

Dogdots · April 4, 2009

bike21 wrote:

Nope, was flying from Calgary to Chicago and had the camera with me I do fly to Fargo on occasion, but I doubt my company would let me take folks for a spin

I'm glad you had the camera with you. I had to take a look at the photos again you posted. When I travel out of town most of the white you see is frozen water with snow on top.

Bummer I can't hitch a ride up to see it all from the air. I do know a lady pilot who has a plane, but I don't even think I'd get in a car with her

Took a look at your lamps -- cool

What a good way to reuse bikes. I see you live in Boulder...ever go to Eldorado Canyon? My favorite place in CO.

bike21 · April 5, 2009

Dogdots wrote:

I'm glad you had the camera with you. I had to take a look at the photos again you posted. When I travel out of town most of the white you see is frozen water with snow on top.

Bummer I can't hitch a ride up to see it all from the air. I do know a lady pilot who has a plane, but I don't even think I'd get in a car with her

Took a look at your lamps -- cool What a good way to reuse bikes. I see you live in Boulder...ever go to Eldorado Canyon? My favorite place in CO.

Yeah it was amazing (and sad) to see how far the rivers and creeks were out of their banks. It appeared a lot of downtown was under water too, but it was hard to tell from our perspective.

I hope you get airborne one of these days, all thoughts on my chosen career/industry aside - flying is one of the most exhilarating and wonderful experiences I have ever done.

Thanks for the kudos on the lamps! I don't make it to Eldorado that much since I am not much of a climber, but it does afford some great hiking certainly! I am actually involved in our local mountain bike advocacy efforts and we are working on the prospects of a connector trail from Eldorado to Walker Ranch which is up the mountain a bit further. If that trails ever comes to fruition, I would be going through the canyon a lot more!

Dogdots · April 5, 2009

bike21 wrote:

Yeah it was amazing (and sad) to see how far the rivers and creeks were out of their banks. It appeared a lot of downtown was under water too, but it was hard to tell from our perspective.

I hope you get airborne one of these days, all thoughts on my chosen career/industry aside - flying is one of the most exhilarating and wonderful experiences I have ever done.

Thanks for the kudos on the lamps! I don't make it to Eldorado that much since I am not much of a climber, but it does afford some great hiking certainly! I am actually involved in our local mountain bike advocacy efforts and we are working on the prospects of a connector trail from Eldorado to Walker Ranch which is up the mountain a bit further. If that trails ever comes to fruition, I would be going through the canyon a lot more!

Fargo's downtown area is pretty much ok. These dikes were built on streets between the river and downtown. There are 80 miles of dikes, levee's, sandbag walls and secondary dikes. 300,000 cubic yards of earth was moved. Somewhere around 4 million sandbags were filled. This all acording to our Mayor. There are around 800,000 sand bags in reserve right now for the second crest. This is just Fargo, ND -- It doesn't include what Moorhead, MN did on the other side of the Red River. Riverside Cemetery which my Dad is at is under water. They want to pump it out, but to where is the question. I'm heading over that way today in hopes they have started that process and then out of town to take a look.

Eldorado would be a nice place for biking. There are many trails in there I've hiked, but as for climbing...haven't tried that. I have learned from talking with the climbers that I would want to be last person up

Art Scott · April 5, 2009

Hopefully the water is receeding a bit by now.....we just had another bit o'winter this morning and last Thursday....get up to very cool brisk fall morning air and then it rains and then it snows like crazy and then warms up and melts everything......it is like having all 4 seasons in one day:D........

Dogdots · April 6, 2009

Art Scott wrote:

Hopefully the water is receeding a bit by now.....we just had another bit o'winter this morning and last Thursday....get up to very cool brisk fall morning air and then it rains and then it snows like crazy and then warms up and melts everything......it is like having all 4 seasons in one day:D........

Water has gone down. Now they are getting ready for the 2nd crest which could come before or after Easter. Thought I would post a "before" and "now" photo to show the difference in the same area. I've already posted the "before photo on this thread, but having them next to each other makes it easier to view. This area is just north of Fargo by a few miles.

Opened up and getting ready for the flood. Taken 3.22.09

During the flood -- taken yesterday. The Red River runs behind the line of trees to the right and top of the photo. This ditch actually runs to the Red River for run off. Up by the farm house on the left in the photo there is another ditch like this and a slough type area next to the ditch. The road to the farm house is closed with water over it. Taken 4.5.09

More photos have been posted on my site.

Fargo, Nd Flooding

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