Two days ago, guyermo posted a diary about the Red River Flood and its potential effect on the citizens of North Dakota and Minnesota. Many thanks for his/her excellent work at digging out helpful links and creating an evacuation map. Guyermo is not a resident of either State; rather, a good citizen and a reflection of the best of DKos. As with the first Mothership, I am liberally stealing guyermo's links and creative work. In addition, many of you offered additional links regarding updates and places to donate. I am calling on your generosity again. Please, if you find any news updates or evacuation, shelter or donation information not found herein, please let me know in the comments.
PLEASE DO NOT POST PICTURES OR VIDEOS. THEY SLOW THE DIARY DOWN FOR THOSE ON DIAL-UP. THANK YOU.
If you are able to volunteer to write a "child" diary, please respond after the first comment and advise what time is convenient. Several volunteered in the wee hours this a.m. but your plans may have changed in the last 24 hours.
FARGO - The National Weather Service now forecasts the Red River will crest at 42 feet on Sunday, not Saturday as earlier predicted, but could still go as high as 43 feet.
The service's Web site shows the river cresting at 42 feet midday Sunday. Inforum
NEWS ARTICLES -- This section will be updated as new information comes in.
West Fargo Flood Diversion Working as Planned
The city is addressing ice jam issues at several bridges along the river, but so far has them under control, said Mayor Rich Mattern
Cautious Optimism: NWS -- Red River May Have Crested at Fargo / Moorhead
Predator B Drone used to monitor Red River Very cool use and interesting article.
Richland County Rescues -- h/t GlowNZ
Flood and Fire in Oakport Township, Minn.
Grand Forks Police Warn: Avoid Kennedy Bridge
52 ft. Still likely in Grand Forks per National Weather Service
NEWS SOURCES
Fargo Forum (requires registration -- simple)
WDAY -- out of Fargo
WDAZ -- out of Grand Forks
Floodcam located in Moorhead -- camera on 7th floor of bank facing across Red River into downtown Fargo. Update: the camera is not working because the building has been evacuated. I'll leave the link in case someone brings it back up. h/t Omir the Storyteller
Minnesota Public Radio
Grand Forks Herald
CTV -- out of Winnipeg, Canada
KTSP
WCCO
KARE11
KFGO h/t RestoringJustice
Grand Forks Webcam -- h/t Groucho Marxist
STATE AND MUNICIPAL SERVICES
North Dakota Department of Emergency Services
City of Fargo Evacuation Plans
Grand Forks Home Page
Grand Forks Shelter Information
Moorhead Shelter Information
Fargo re-opened roads -- sandbagging finished in these areas
Moorhead Evacuation Zone
guyermo's Comprehensive Evacuation Map
Mandatory Evacuation of Cass County Neighborhoods
North Dakota Government Flood Information
Minnesota Emergency Management Site
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE -- NOAA
National Weather Service -- NOAA
Continuous Weather and Flood Update
Forecast at a Glance
Red River at Fargo levels hydrograph NOAA h/t exmearden
Projected and actual river levels h/t Fiddlegirl
DONATIONS
Fargo Red Cross
Salvation Army Minnesota / North Dakota donations
MISCELLANEOUS
For any more information regarding this shelter please contact the American Red Cross at 218-773-9565
Emergency Shelter for Animals Call the shelter hotline at (701) 281-1574 for more information. They most likely could use donations as well
PICTURES
From the Boston Globe h/t socratic
From Yahoo -- h/t NonnyO
From the Star Tribune -- h/t NonnyO
Update # 1 (2:08 a.m. EDT 03/28/09)
On the Canadian side of the northern-flowing Red River, ice-clogged culverts, ice jams and the rising river threatened Manitoba residents. Several homes were evacuated north of Winnipeg and several dozen houses were flooded.
New York Times
Please check in on your Canadian friends and family in harms way. I've added CTV out of Winnipeg to the news sources.
Update # 2 (10:43 a.m. EDT 03/28/09)
MPR blog coverage of Press Conference h/t BDN
KTSP
WCCO
KARE11 h/t NonnyO
Red River at Fargo levels hydrograph NOAA h/t exmearden
Projected and actual river levels h/t Fiddlegirl
NOAA update550 AM CDT SAT MAR 28 2009
...ANOTHER ROUND OF WINTER WEATHER COULD IMPACT PORTIONS OF EASTERN
NORTH DAKOTA...NORTHWEST AND WEST CENTRAL MINNESOTA FROM SUNDAY
NIGHT INTO WEDNESDAY...
THE POTENTIAL EXISTS FOR SIGNIFICANT SNOWFALL ACCUMULATION AND
GUSTY WINDS...MAINLY IN SOUTHEASTERN NORTH DAKOTA AND WEST CENTRAL
MINNESOTA ON MONDAY AND TUESDAY. AT THIS TIME...ANY PRECIPITATION
THAT DEVELOPS FROM THIS SYSTEM IS EXPECTED TO FALL AS SNOW.
HOWEVER...UNCERTAINTY REMAINS ON THE TRACK OF THIS LOW PRESSURE
SYSTEM...WHICH WILL MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE ON WHERE THE HEAVIEST
SNOW WILL FALL. PLEASE STAY TUNED FOR FUTURE UPDATES ON THIS
DEVELOPING STORM SYSTEM.
To address the heightened threat:
- City leaders asked non-essential businesses to remain closed
- Residents are asked to restrict all unnecessary travel
- Gov. John Hoeven waived the state’s "blue laws," which restrict business hours on Sundays. The move allows stores selling flood-fighting supplies to remain open throughout the night.
- City staff stressed that residents monitor their sandbag dikes and report leaking issues to the engineer’s office at (701) 241-1545.
Inforum
Update # 3 (11:18 a.m. EDT 03/28/09)
Video 2009 Fargo/Moorhead Flood h/t NDakotaDem -- Have kleenex handy prior to viewing.
President Obama's 03/38/09 Weekly Address re: Flood -- h/t jwinIL14.
A bit of good news for Winnipeg -- h/t Aunt Arctic
Update # 4 (12:48 p.m. EDT 03/28/09) Several commenters have noted that cable teevee is reporting the Red River has crested at Fargo/Moorhead. The NWS is being cautious -- the level is down a fraction of an inch and holding. You can look at the different graphs linked above. I am a fundamental skeptic, ergo, I'd like to wait to celebrate. There remains a tremendous amount of stress on those levees even if the flood is ebbing.
Cautious Optimism: NWS -- Red River May Have Crested at Fargo / Moorhead
Update # 5 (3:05 p.m. EDT 03/28/09)
Excellent link, h/t MobilityGeek, from North Dakota government site regarding lots of flood information. I'm adding to the State and Municipal info above as well.
North Dakota Government Flood Information
Update # 6 (5:53 p.m. EDT 03/28/09)
Grand Forks Webcam -- h/t Groucho Marxist
West Fargo Flood Diversion Working as Planned
The city is addressing ice jam issues at several bridges along the river, but so far has them under control, said Mayor Rich Mattern
All quiet for now. National Weather Service seems more confident that the crest occurred in Fargo / Morehead this a.m. Water levels dropping slightly. Still need for vigilence re: the integrity of the levees. I'm posting the GF webcam above in the News Sources section as well.
Update # 7 (6:58 p.m. EDT 03/28/09
Back up Dike Being Erected in Moorhead (pdf)
From comment by Mobility GeekThis is in the southwest corner of Moorhead, probably the most vulnerable area to a dike breach. The river and existing dike are a couple blocks west and the area between where this secondary dike is going and the river is already evacuated. Yesterday's breach that was successfully plugged was a bit south of here. Putting in a secondary dike here suggests they're nervous that the primary dike may fail.