Highlights
In February 2011, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration warned citizens of the Midwestern United States to prepare for a difficult spring with major floods. Those predictions are being fulfilled in North Dakota N.D. and Minnesota Minn., as melting snow and spring rains have raised rivers to and above their banks.
According to the U.S. Geological Survey, gages along the Red River in Fargo recorded the river height at 38.16 feet 11.63 meters at 12:15 p.m. Central Daylight Time on April 8. Major flood stage for the city is considered 30 feet. Upstream of Fargo, at a station near Thompson, N.D., gages recorded the river height at 54.36 feet 16.57 meters at 12:15 p.m. CDT on April 8.
The Forum of Fargo-Moorhead reported that the river was expected to crest between 39 to 40 feet sometime on April 10. The record flood for the Fargo-Moorhead area was 40.84 feet 12.45 meters in 2009. Weather forecasts were calling for as much as 1.5 inches of new rain or snow over the weekend, though that was expected take a few days to affect the river.
Citizens and local government groups spent much of the week deploying sandbags and preparing for flood waters. U.S. President Obama declared a federal emergency in the area on April 7, allowing the Federal Emergency Management Agency and other government institutions to provide disaster aid.
The source article Receding Snow Sets Stage for Floods near Fargo : Natural Hazards .
