miketheidiot
Lifer
As many of you have probably heard, the Red River of the north is bursting its banks again.
To understand how we got here, last fall was the wettest fall ever after one of the wettest summers ever, and it kept raining pretty much til it froze. This winter followed on dropped about 6 feet of fairly heavy wet snow. then out of nowhere temps spiked into the 50's melting most of the snowpack in about 4 days. Since the red river flows north, already melted snow from the south and west joins newly melted snow in the north and east (which thaw out later) giving a sort orf 1-2 punch. Last monday we had thunderstorms that dropped up to 3 inches of rain, followed immediately by a blizzard that dropped 10 inches of snow, just and emergency levies started to be built.
Dikes in fargo and moorhead are generally built to 39-40 feet, meaning in a record flood, a few temporary dikes would have to be built and some sandbags placed on top to prevent water for lapping over with the wind. This year they new pretty much all winter that it was going to be pretty heavy so they had some preparations set to do this build up.
Unfortunately with all the developments last week they were predicting a new crest of 41 feet, a full foot over the record. Most of the schools, businesses, and others have been mostly closed and everyone out trying to help, and by this afternoon, most of the dikes in fargo and moorhead could protect to 41 feet, barring that they didn't break. Late this afternoon, they raised the crest prediction to 43 feet, and its predicted to be at that level for a week. At this point, i don't think anyone really expects the levees to hold, and people are starting to prepare for evacuation.
The 97 grand forks flood caused about 4 billion in damages, fargo is far larger and more centered about the river. If it hits 43 feet and the levees break, damage with be on katrina scale. luckily it will be too fucking cold for looting. Parts of moorhead are already going under mandatory evacuation.
Fargo Forum
summary edited for profanity
-vi
Off Topic Mod
To understand how we got here, last fall was the wettest fall ever after one of the wettest summers ever, and it kept raining pretty much til it froze. This winter followed on dropped about 6 feet of fairly heavy wet snow. then out of nowhere temps spiked into the 50's melting most of the snowpack in about 4 days. Since the red river flows north, already melted snow from the south and west joins newly melted snow in the north and east (which thaw out later) giving a sort orf 1-2 punch. Last monday we had thunderstorms that dropped up to 3 inches of rain, followed immediately by a blizzard that dropped 10 inches of snow, just and emergency levies started to be built.
Dikes in fargo and moorhead are generally built to 39-40 feet, meaning in a record flood, a few temporary dikes would have to be built and some sandbags placed on top to prevent water for lapping over with the wind. This year they new pretty much all winter that it was going to be pretty heavy so they had some preparations set to do this build up.
Unfortunately with all the developments last week they were predicting a new crest of 41 feet, a full foot over the record. Most of the schools, businesses, and others have been mostly closed and everyone out trying to help, and by this afternoon, most of the dikes in fargo and moorhead could protect to 41 feet, barring that they didn't break. Late this afternoon, they raised the crest prediction to 43 feet, and its predicted to be at that level for a week. At this point, i don't think anyone really expects the levees to hold, and people are starting to prepare for evacuation.
The 97 grand forks flood caused about 4 billion in damages, fargo is far larger and more centered about the river. If it hits 43 feet and the levees break, damage with be on katrina scale. luckily it will be too fucking cold for looting. Parts of moorhead are already going under mandatory evacuation.
Fargo Forum
summary edited for profanity
-vi
Off Topic Mod
