While I would've loved to write about effective and ineffective advertisements, I believe that my attention this week should be focused on the wonderful weather we have here in our beloved state of North Dakota.
As we all know, there are massive amounts of water and snow accumulation around the state but especially in the Western half. Fargo and the surrounding smaller communities are in the most trouble but all up and down the Red River Valley and the Sheyenne River communities are in grave danger.
The crest of flood waters in Fargo is expected to be between 39 and 41 feet by Friday night. Most of the damns are being built to a height of 42 feet. Even at the height, there are worries about the strength and stability of the barriers.
President Obama has declared North Dakota a federal disaster area. This means that the federal government will cover 75% of the state and local government costs that will go towards fighting the flooding throughout the state. National Guard units around the state have been activated and called to Fargo and other communities to pitch in with filling sandbags and building the dikes and dams to keep the flood waters at bay.
Oxbow is evacuating people because they have been unable to keep up with surging flow of the river. Ice chunks have built up in the rivers as well causing back up and making it an inevitable that there be major flooding once those chunks give way and everything that is building behind them is released.
I have been helping sandbag in Valley City for the past two days. With the number of sandbags and helpers needed in our reasonably small community, it is unimaginable to think about the numbers in Fargo/Moorhead and also all of the other communities in North Dakota. Every town in the western portion of the state is being sandbagged and preparing for the water that is surely going to ravage each location...whether protected or not.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
I can really relate to your blog. I am going to write about advertisements, but really feel our current flooding situation is a much more important topic. We have been sandbagging around Wahpeton/Breckenridge since Sunday evening. I can still remember the last flood and we are much better prepared this time. But, there is so much overland flooding that is happening that it is hard to do anything about.
ReplyDeleteI really wonder why we have to continue to fight this fight though. The diversion in Breckenridge helped them alot, but it seems like there is more that should be done so this situation doesn't keep happening. We shouldn't have to sandbag on a regular basis.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteFirst off, I think you meant the Eastern part of the state, right? Or are you from MN? Because then it would be the western part of MN. Anyway, just a minor correction.
ReplyDeleteI think it's amazing how widespread the flooding around the state is. Fargo and Bismarck are the spots in the news, but I just saw pictures from Beulah and Hazen and it looks like they are really flooded; and Linton (south of Bismarck) is flooded. Minot is preparing in case they are next. We even have water over the road in a few places (I'm WAY north). It's pretty incredible.
Although this sucks for Fargo/Valley City.. and all the other towns flooding.. It is nice to see how the community works together to save their city. And how others, not even affected by this flood from other communities come and help. Or go and help (when Valley shipped two bus loads of people to Fargo a couple of times). Its just really good to know that no one wants to watch their city go under.
ReplyDelete