Fear, Flooding and Fargo

In a mere 4 days, news-media in Fargo reported on the Red River going from Watch to Warning, but are now beginning to downplay the “warning”.

Could it have anything to do with the significant snow storm, that the National Weather service had potentially forecast, entirely missing the metro area?

Kim Hyatt, WDAY article from Apr 5, 2018: (Read more…) “There’s a potential for more snow Friday, April 13. Of course, that doesn’t sound good” – Vince Godon, National Weather Service meteorologist.

By April 11, 2018 – Nick Broadway, WDAY reported (Read more…): “METRO—By Sunday, parts of the valley will be in a Flood Watch. The National Weather Service predicts by Sunday afternoon water levels here at the Red River will stay just below the point of hurting buildings and farmland.

Seeing that most of the moisture fell outside the Red River Basin and would not significantly affect communities along the Red River, the narrative began to change. Bailey Vertin, WDAY reported on April 15, 2018: (Read more…) “METRO — Tides are rising on the Red River. As temperatures rise, so does the water in the Red River. Fargo is in a flood warning right now, but meteorologists say, it might not be as bad as you think.

“Never let a good crisis go to waste…”

It is the battle-cry of public works projects, in part, because it relies on “pain in the present” as a call to action, wherein, reasonably level-headed people submit to hysteria and fear mongering to avoid a perceived threat or inconvenience.

When you hear the laughter…, remember the overstated flood forecasts that Fargo has missed every flood since 2009…

The most recent flood forecast is a non-starter. It is simply empty headlines that compliment the pro-diversion agenda – ironically while the FMDA and Upstream await the Minnesota DNR determination on whether “Plan B” should be vetted further or sent back to the drawing board.

However, the greater issue at hand is the predication of fear tied to the Red River.

Yes, the Red River needs to be respected, however, Fargo and Cass county have failed miserably in restricting river flood-way setbacks and have pathologically encouraged encroachment (Read more…) into the last natural flood plain thaing protects Fargo. Fargo and Cass county planners are creating future floods and your future flood insurance requirements via negligent flood management (Read more…).

With the flood forecast of 18.5 feet (when this article was written) predicted to crest on April 21, 2018 – the FM metro area has little to be concerned about. Being that 18.5 feet is 22.34 feet lower than the 2009 flood event and presents very little factual threat to the FM area.|

The NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) aka National Weather Service maintains information on Red River Gages (Read more…) .

The Fargo, ND page includes Flood Categories, Current River Conditions, Historical Record, which also includes a list of gage elevations that relate to potential impacts in the FM Metro Area.

Based on the information provided by NOAA and Fargo, ND the flood crest of 18.5 feet expected on April 21, 2018 requires only that a pump station to be started at Island Park and a one block stretch of Elm Street between 14th & 15th Avenue (Read more…) to be potentially closed. This may cause a 2-3 minute longer commute for a few North Fargo residents during the brief detouring of traffic.

The mayor and his ilk that cry “flood” could learn a thing or two from Aesop’s Fable of the Little Boy that Cried Wolf.

Just remember, it’s Fargo’s fault for developing natural flood plain, restricting the river flood-way, displacing water and causing Fargo flooding…, and the Red River was here long before the un-civilized built any infrastructure.

It’s time for Fargo to grow up and complete internal flood protection and to stop behaving like immature children looking for attention and handouts.

Should Fargo stop Hyping Floods Below 25 feet? Yes No Benchmark Should Be Higher Than 25 feet. View Results  Loading ...

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