Fargo, ND, officials to raise dikes as river rises

[marmar]

AP via Yahoo!:



Fargo, ND, officials to raise dikes as river rises
By NATE JENKINS, Associated Press Writer


FARGO, N.D. – Thousands of North Dakotans stacked sandbags around the clock to protect the state's largest city from the rising Red River, expected to reach a record level on Saturday. Across the state, Bismarck breathed easier as the Missouri River fell 2 feet, limiting the flooding.

Volunteers and Fargo officials were heeding the mayor's call Thursday to add another foot of dike protection against the rising water.

Just north of neighboring Moorhead, Minn., officials said more volunteers were needed to help a low-lying township in a desperate fight to save 500 of its 550 homes. A few homes have already flooded, Oakport Township Chairman Greg Anderson said.

Soon the rising water will leave few areas where it's possible to sandbag, Anderson warned.

In the Fargodome, where a sandbag-making operation was working furiously, public works official Bruce Grubb was struck by the variety of people helping out.

"Any time you see Bison football T-shirts and Sioux hockey T-shirts working side-by-side and smiling, we've really come together," Grubb said, referring to students from North Dakota State and its rival, the University of North Dakota. .........(more)

The complete piece is at: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/midwest_flooding

[RC]

1. Local Fargo ND flood links

http://www.inforum.com/ Fargo local paper
http://www.bismarcktribune.com/ Paper in state capital.

http://www.ndsu.nodak.edu/fargoflood/ - Flood gage and more links.

http://www.valleynewslive.tv/#tvg - Local tv info

- Web Cam of 4th St dike.


http://www.wday.com/tv/ Local tv info

How high's the water mama? 40 feet high and risin'
Well, 39.06 feet as of this post. They are looking at 41 feet by tomorrow.