Isn't Millertime in Fargo?
Fargo floods
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090328/ap_on_re_us/midwest_flooding (http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090328/ap_on_re_us/midwest_flooding)
FARGO, N.D. â€" Thousands of shivering, tired residents got out while they could and others prayed that miles of sandbagged levees would hold Friday as the surging Red River threatened to unleash the biggest flood North Dakota's largest city has ever seen.
The agonizing decision to stay or go came as the final hours ticked down before an expected crest Sunday, when the ice-laden river could climb as high as 43 feet, nearly 3 feet higher than the record set 112 years ago. The city got a one-day reprieve Friday night when the National Weather Service pushed its crest projection back from Saturday to Sunday afternoon, saying frigid temperatures had slowed the river's rise. While the weather service targeted the crest near 42 feet, it said feet 43 is still a possibility.
I do hope the weather folk are wrong.
good luck wade
I'm here... and thankfully high and dry.
Spent the last few days building sandbag dikes. Now it's just a waiting game to see that everything holds.
Luckily even if the river breaks thru every dike and levee my neighborhood will be high and dry... at least according to the maps.
What an amazing f'n town. Keep throwing your jokes about fargo, I'm proud to have the neighbors I have.
Some pics for your viewing enjoyment:
A view of the permanent dike looking north to downtown Fargo. Just to give you an idea, the top of the dike is at 42' and flood stage is 18'. I would say that the top of the dike is usually 25' above the river.
(http://media.younewstv.com/images/600*450/flood-14.jpg)
Don't know if you can read the spray paint on this sandbag dike, but it says the top is at 44'. The water on the other side is only about 2 feet from the top. The river is usually on the other side of the trees in the background.
(http://media.younewstv.com/images/600*450/HPIM0838.jpg)
Earthen dike built to protect downtown.
(http://images.publicradio.org/content/2009/03/20/20090320_fargoflooddike_33.jpg)
Another temporary dike.
(http://images.publicradio.org/content/2009/03/20/20090320_dikefargo_33.jpg)
One of my favorite pics. This was taken south of Fargo.
(http://d.yimg.com/a/p/ap/20090325/capt.0e90fad60373462395aadfcfd6bf1704.aptopix_midwest_flooding_fargo_ndck118.jpg)
A sandbag dike around a home.
(http://d.yimg.com/a/p/ap/20090324/capt.0d645e591aa84112a443f333f9823255.midwest_flooding_fargo_ndck115.jpg?x=400&y=274&q=85&sig=e4frp.HEL_gvSgVPxNp94w--)
ND National Guard building a dike. We ended up working on this exact dike with these guys. Some of them had been there for 11hrs when we got there and not a one complained!
(http://d.yimg.com/a/p/ap/20090325/capt.3a7a38063e8d419fac4ea5f2030e5b14.midwest_flooding_fargo_ndjm101.jpg?x=400&y=262&q=85&sig=8jB5VkivMM0eCxyS6Dbx3g--)
Last night after the NWS announced a possible 43 foot crest people spent all night adding another foot to one of the permanent dike.
(http://d.yimg.com/a/p/rids/20090327/i/r4135541777.jpg?x=400&y=201&q=85&sig=.ZEnVPK70TKL70MW_O0YqA--)
Volunteers filling sandbags inside the dome.
(http://d.yimg.com/a/p/ap/20090327/capt.b1b3d549989c413da438f3c13eaf5af0.flooding_midwest_fargo_ndjm101.jpg?x=400&y=271&q=85&sig=1y9rn7kT_ED8Lgf.1j9BVQ--)
Stockpile of sandbags as of this morning.
(http://d.yimg.com/a/p/ap/20090327/capt.2351429f7f01457da663980f0eb7e99c.flooding_midwest_fargo_ndjm104.jpg?x=400&y=249&q=85&sig=Td3mxoC_bCkbeDb32mTQ9w--)
Volunteers still at it this morning.
(http://d.yimg.com/a/p/ap/20090327/capt.acdec238753f40f088e9bf827fc58be0.flooding_midwest_fargo_ndjm105.jpg?x=253&y=345&q=85&sig=GVNiSMHXAfiumXWJn18OwA--)
Volunteers adding to an already enormous sandbag dike.
(http://d.yimg.com/a/p/ap/20090327/capt.319e4408582e4211888d97f73202b182.midwest_flooding_ndjm107.jpg?x=400&y=280&q=85&sig=AD9zUcPXWMny4vc5jebncA--)
One neighborhood that could not be saved... so far this is not a normal sight.
(http://d.yimg.com/a/p/ap/20090328/capt.7fe86215cf3b4c2a875e05433ab2762d.midwest_flooding_mnmit115.jpg?x=400&y=194&q=85&sig=RNLgRNSdhEOnfF_gzwbKzw--)
A video that someone put together that shows some of the work up to sometime on the 25th.
Country music, so if you're not a fan, turn off your speakers!
2009 FARGO/MOORHEAD FLOOD (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zdxtwROYTgE#ws-lq-lq2-hq-vhq)
Great to hear you are safe Wade. You should be proud [thumbsup] If the sandbags fail, I hope the govt comes through for you all better than the folks in the Bayou.
Stand tough.
i hope you stay warm, dry and safe!
youre killin me skinner
My town Cedar Rapids went through this last June. I can't imagine sandbagging and rescuing people in freezing temps.
Unfortunately, our flood surpassed all dikes build and worst case predictions, and 4000+ homes were lost.
(http://cache.boston.com/universal/site_graphics/blogs/bigpicture/iowa_06_17/iowa7.jpg)
Best wishes and prayers sent to our northern neighbors.
mitt
Quote from: mitt on March 28, 2009, 07:09:06 AM
Unfortunately, our flood surpassed all dikes build and worst case predictions, and 4000+ homes were lost.
The gubmint blewed dem up. They were trying to get rid of the farmers. [laugh] ;)
Anyway Wade, keep dry. DSM has gone through it a couple of times now, once in 1993 and again in 2008 and I definitely know what you guys are feeling. Keep us abreast of the crest (a little horrible flood humor there).
Incredible work ya'll have been putting in up there. I lived in NOLA when Katrina came through; it was heartbreaking sitting in Birmingham, AL watching the lake pour through into the city. Will be thinking good thoughts for Fargo. Good Luck.
Here's a little panorama I made of the people at the dome filling sandbags:
(http://gjnkma.bay.livefilestore.com/y1pU_wajpRG_9ua77sh6bgmTRvSBqqEaZRSg6MIdMiwFp_vhp6s1FI-cufdEf0_bZ4uf_0NC8MY5ajkBvVOhd0Cfw/fargodome%20sandbags.jpg)
I used to live on 6th st in Fargo a couple blocks from the dike...about 25 years ago!
Hang in there and keep up with the water [thumbsup]
Way to go Wade [thumbsup]
It is a nice thing to see a community come together to help their neighbors. Don't see much of that anymore.
(on a different note, when the water does fall back to normal levels, who cleans up all the sandbags?)
Quote from: cyrus buelton on March 29, 2009, 12:44:17 PM
(on a different note, when the water does fall back to normal levels, who cleans up all the sandbags?)
The city and a few local companies do the cleanup. Since sandbags are considered contaminated, they try to keep a close eye on the cleanup.
Shot of a drainage ditch about 7 blocks south of me:
(http://media.younewstv.com/images/600*450/CIMG4097.JPG)
Bridge over above drainage ditch:
(http://media.younewstv.com/images/600*450/CIMG4082-1.JPG)
Quote from: Rev. Millertime on March 29, 2009, 06:11:04 PM
Shot of a drainage ditch about 7 blocks south of me:
(http://media.younewstv.com/images/600*450/CIMG4097.JPG)
Bridge over above drainage ditch:
(http://media.younewstv.com/images/600*450/CIMG4082-1.JPG)
Dood...
That's a canal...
If it wasn't dark out I'd take a picture of a ditch. ;D
Glad you're OK Rev.
It's a drainage ditch... most of the year it's dry.
Quote from: Rev. Millertime on March 29, 2009, 06:18:22 PM
It's a drainage ditch... most of the year it's dry.
If you say so.
I guess it's all relative to what needs to be drained.
Damn, glad you guys avoided disaster. I had no idea it was that bad when i posted the thread.
Wade - the forecast is calling for 6-8 inches of snow today/tonight. Is that gonna cause more problems?
Glad to hear that you guys are doin' all right so far. [thumbsup]
Quote from: bluemoco on March 30, 2009, 07:33:34 AM
Wade - the forecast is calling for 6-8 inches of snow today/tonight. Is that gonna cause more problems?
Glad to hear that you guys are doin' all right so far. [thumbsup]
The snow should not cause a noticeable change in the water levels, the biggest fear of heavy snow is how it will affect the efforts of emergency crews in the case of a dike breach. Most of our snow plows are being used to haul dirt for dike building, so the last snowfall has barely been cleaned up. That and it will make life a little more miserable for the National Guard troops that are patrolling the dikes.
Quote from: Rev. Millertime on March 29, 2009, 06:08:06 PM
The city and a few local companies do the cleanup. Since sandbags are considered contaminated, they try to keep a close eye on the cleanup.
Oh god yes, I could only imagine all the pollutants in that water...........
Stay safe buddy. Missed you in Minnesota last week.
Quote from: cyrus buelton on March 30, 2009, 11:20:05 AM
Stay safe buddy. Missed you in Minnesota last week.
Damn mother nature decided I should be working instead of drinking beer.