Marcus Larson “Loss of Life” Comments to the USACE re: Fargo Moorhead Dam and Diversion

The staging area presents a greater threat to the city of Fargo, ND due to excessive water levels held above the elevation of the entire city on historically unstable ground. It is generally accepted that populations that have permanent protection in place are less likely to evacuate because the flood protection offers an unwarranted sense of security that does not reflect a true flood risk specific to the given area.

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How high would the water be in a 500 year flood event?

<<< Return to FAQs >>> The USACE indicates a variety of 500 year flood levels in the FEIS and supporting documentation, without embracing any specific 500 year flood level as an absolute. Craig O. Evans, P.E. Chief, Plan Formulation Section, attributes the disparity as “…not an inconsistency, but rather an outcome of the uncertainty analysis.” There […]

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Hugh J. Trowbrige Comments to the USACE re: Fargo Moorhead Dam and Diversion

<< Read and Download Original Hugh J. Trowbrige Comment Letter >> November 6, 2011 To: The Corp of Enginers Last week the city of fargo voted 3-2 to keep future building 450 feet from the center of the Red River. To get the third vote they have an exception clause. that is feet not yards! […]

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Marcus Larson Comments to the USACE re: Fargo Moorhead Dam and Diversion

<< Read and Download Original Marcus Larson Comment Letter >> General Grisoli Civil Works Review Board Headquarters, US Army Corps of Engineers 441 G. Street, NW Washington, DC 20314-1000 Dear General Grisoli: I respectfully request that you DO NOT release the final report of the LPP. The current LPP and SDEIS contains deficiencies that local […]

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Has the Diversion Authority even “read” the FEIS?

Does the Diversion Authority know what residual deficiencies and costs are in the Fargo Moorhead Dam and FM Diversion? The Fargo Forum recently voiced the concerns of the Diversion Authority of a provision in the project they had already agreed to. What is a meandering channel doing in the bottom of a diversion channel designed […]

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Fargo Mayor Dennis Walaker letter to ND Public Service Commission January 9th, 2012 re: CapX 2020

Dennis Walaker: We expressed support for the CapX2020 project subject to two comments. It appears that the corridor and proposed route have been moved farther to the south and also have been reduced in width so that they are well below the proposed diversion channel for the Metro Flood Project. As a result, we feel comfortable withdrawing that comment from our June 2011 letter.

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Fargo Mayor Dennis Walaker letter to ND Public Service Commission June 20th, 2011 re: CapX 2020

The City of Fargo would prefer that the entire corridor be placed outside the Locally Preferred Plan of the diversion project; we prefer that such land not be consumed by the easements, with their restrictions on development, acquired by CapX and that development of that land not be impaired by the presence of the CapX structures.

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Defending Richland and Wilkin counties June 21st, 2012

After successful prodding by the Fargo Mayor, voters approved an extension of a half-cent sales tax in Fargo. That means Fargo residents will only have to pay 60 percent of additional financing for the dam and ditch. But that will not be enough money. The diversion finance committee is now saying – after the election – they need the Water Resource District to levy special assessments. Good timing.

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Defending Richland and Wilkin counties June 14th, 2012

The Minnesota DNR calls the proposed dam a “high hazard dam,” where failure is likely to cause loss of life. So, now the plan is to dig clay out of a diversion channel, and build a 15-foot-high dam from Comstock to Horace, and expect to provide protection for the metro area. But the problem is the clay under our black topsoil is expansive clay, which means it’s capable of absorbing large amounts of water. The more water it absorbs, the weaker it becomes. When it dries, it contracts and shrinks in size.

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