Spring Time is Flood Time

[Bigwoods]

You may have seen on the national news that Fargo is in a flood fight. They are trying to make 2 million sand bags in the next few days. South of Fargo the interstate has a foot of water on it and will probably shut down.

Grand Forks had a devastating flood 12 years ago, but are now diked pretty high and should be safe. We live 20 miles north and the water from Fargo and GF will be here in about a week. Our house has never flooded, but the prediction is for the highest water ever in the closet town to us.

The kicker is that as all this snow is melting, there is a huge blizzard hitting the state with up to 12" of new snow.

Just wanted to post this as we are in for a tough coupla weeks. I always feel like this is family here and I just need to tell someone I am scared. I can't tell my own family that, we just buck up and get ready.

Thanks,

Greg

[hotrod]

hi Greg,
The water a cometh....I work right along the river in fargo and get to see this all a second time, first time in 1997..There is a dike that went up over the weekend in my work parking lot that runs north about a half mile or so, by the looks of it and it is pushing 12 ft tall in places, they are trying their best. my work was sandbagging but skipped out on that idea, last I heard they were also going to build a dike. In 1997 we had water into one of the shops.
Tom, one of my work compadres lives in whapeton and every road going to his place is closed. He couldnt get home any normal way..I 29 is closed last I heard near whapeton. There is water over I94 west of fargo, not sure how far..There are many county roads washed out or under water and you couldnt pay me to drive anywhere right now..
We were driving east on clay county 26 between kragnes (just norh of moorehead) and averill if your looking at a map and for all practical purposes most of it was underwater. We drove thru a quarter mile stretch of flooded highway. look left and look right and it is water all the way to the horizon. Im up late watching my basement, for some reason I never needed to buy an automatic sump pump, just have a manual submersible. Im up in the hills and dealing with water, I probably wont go to work tommorow.
All that snow we got last week is nearly gone and the rain isnt helping matters. my yard is a lake...My problems are extremely trivial given the big picture...I hope your battles are simple and sucessful, good luck!! keep in touch!! Paul

[madjack]

Greg, down here we are no strangers to regular flooding...so I can honestly say...I feel you pain and your fears...all you can do is prepare, hunker down and hope/pray for the best...we will make an offering to the gods and goddesses for all of you in the way of Ma Nature's wrath.......
madjack

[Bigwoods]

Thanks guys. I know we will come through this and like I told Mrs. Bigwoods, we just have to be safe. Stuff is stuff and can be replaced. With all the water heading for Fargo I hope the workers can prevent property lose in town.

I will come through just fine. There are 3 bridges in Grand Forks and the first is closing today. I have to get flooded in on the Minnesota side so I can help the Mrs.

I just look forward to camping and plan on going to Minden this year.

[hotrod]

looks like the lake in my front yard is about gone and guess what? The water is really slow coming into the basement. I snuck in a 4 hour nap and didnt wake up to a mess..I might have to haul in a couple loads of black dirt here this summer and do some landscaping..If it keeps this pace I can go back to work tommorow, hopefully thats still there I should go work on my pickup a bit this afternoon..Keep the faith, were pullin for ya Greg!! soon it will be summer....Paul

[drafter]

I'm in Crookston and just got home from sandbagging. The water is about a foot from the top of the dikes. I am surprised that there are a few people on this site that are from my neck of the woods.

[hotrod]

Hey drafter, welcome aboard!! I see this afternoon crookston made the weather channel! Im glad to see another freindly face..Im looking forward to jumping into the hotrod and taking my daughter swimming up at maple lake.. I hope all goes well in crookston, alot of these smaller towns get overlooked by the media and they miss the real story of the people and their staying power...Hang tough, summers coming!! stay in touch!! Paul

[Miriam C.]

Oh you guys be careful. We're praying for you! I live on top of a hill and if I got flooded there would be no Joplin but last year we were certainly worried about Joplin.

[hotrod]

H Miriam, my wife has an aunt and uncle & a bunch of cousins around joplin. always wanted to get down that way for a visit. Thanks for your thoughts and prayers!!..

[Miriam C.]

H Miriam, my wife has an aunt and uncle & a bunch of cousins around joplin. always wanted to get down that way for a visit. Thanks for your thoughts and prayers!!..

Welp just avoid the floods up there (and see ours) and come down for some nice warm rains. But check out the weather first.

[drafter]

Here are a few pics from today. There is a ice jam somewhere down stream causing the water to rise really fast.





The high school and local college kids worked really hard to keep up with the water.


A tree branch took out this natural gas line.


I live in the highest part of town but have alot of friends in the low areas.

[hotrod]

Yup! that looks like a mess. I think thats the most people Ive ever seen at the arena at one time..Its good to live on the high ground. did you guys get that payloader out of the river from last winter??
Looks like you guys are getting some rain and this whole patch of moisture is going to wrap around and come back as snow tonight and tommorow..

[drafter]

Yup! that looks like a mess. I think thats the most people Ive ever seen at the arena at one time..Its good to live on the high ground. did you guys get that payloader out of the river from last winter??
Looks like you guys are getting some rain and this whole patch of moisture is going to wrap around and come back as snow tonight and tommorow..

The Bertil's Gravel brothers finally pulled the loader out of the river 10 hours after it went thru the ice. As for the snow, I do snow removal during the winter so I will get to use the plows one more time. They are really hoping for snow instead of rain. I used to be in the heating and A/C field and spent alot of time in Grand Forks during the 97 flood and I hope that doesn't happen again. It is really tough to see people in that situation.

[Betsey]

I'm in Crookston and just got home from sandbagging. The water is about a foot from the top of the dikes. I am surprised that there are a few people on this site that are from my neck of the woods.

We have family in Crookston on Stuart - right by the river. Your pic of the high school kids made me look to see if my nephews were in the bunch, as they go to high school there. I think I'll call them to see how they are doing.

Most of our family is in Gonvick. My husband is from there...me, I'm a transplant from New England but my family has lived there for over 25 years now.

Just found this pic of my brother-in-law...guess that tells me how they are doing!


Mark Edevold walks atop a dike Tuesday near his home in Crookston, Minn., where there was a voluntary evacuation Tuesday. Edevold's home is in the affected area. Michael Vosburg / Forum Photo Editor

Stay dry!

Betsey

[hotrod]

awwww fudge, theyre closing the NP bridge on center ave between fargo and moorehead. I dont know if it will be closed to foot traffic. how am I going to get to work??? Maybe I get to take a vacation early??, Case IH closed up for the week...more on as the world turns.........