Fargo, Cass and Diversion Authority officials are undoubtedly “in a tizzy” over Moorhead’s decision to table their vote on whether to approve an agreement on Monday that would establish the Diversion Authority Board as a third sponsor and allow the study of the diversion to exceed the previously set limit of $30 million by another $30 million.the resolution. A resolution that the Fargo City Commission unanimously approved, apparently with little to no discussion.
Moorhead Councilman Mark Hintermeyer expressed concerns over approving a resolution without knowing how much money Moorhead would be asked to pay.
Is the Moorhead City Council finally realizing what little they have to gain from the proposed diversion?
What true benefits does the Fargo Dam and FM Diversion provide to Moorhead, which took necessary steps to build permanent protection along the Red River frontage to protect the city at a considerably lower price tag than Fargo’s $2+ billion dollar boondoggle.
Moorhead Councilwoman and FM Diversion Authority member Nancy Otto also expressed concerns: “The the city is protected up to 42.5 feet, but the F-M diversion would protect up to 46.7 feet. Which is beyond anything we are now capable of,” Otto said. “So we’re protected to a certain level, but we’re not protected to an all-out disaster level, which is why the diversion (is needed).”
Valid concerns, however, the most disconcerting part is the continued use of the fabricated 46.7′ flood elevation that was used to brainwash people into fear and support of the proposed project.
A question that I asked directly to Aaron Snyder of the USACE in December 2010 was what would the flood levels be without the proposed project and what would the elevation and flows via the Fargo Moorhead area be if the cities were not here placing a restriction on the Red River?
It appears that it only takes the USACE two and a half years to muster a genuine response to questions that now are a point of contention.
Table Excerpt Page 26 Minnesota DNR EAW:
Why has the Fargo Forum withheld vital information from its readers and regional taxpayers?
How many millions of taxpayer dollars have been expended on previous misinformation provided by the USACE and the Diversion Authority?
How many “milestones” did Fargo, Cass county and the Diversion Authority achieve under false pretenses and bad data?
Were those “milestones” fast-tracked to ensure their attachment to the WRDA bill and potential un-fettered spending by the USACE?
The clear and indelible message that needs to get to taxpayers is how they’ve been taken for a ride to assist Fargo land developers encroach into the last natural flood plain south of Fargo, ND.
Chad Engels of Moore Engineering cited in presentations on several occasions that the flood plain south of Fargo absorbed a considerable amount of CFS flow during the 2009 flood.
Engels indicated that combined flood cfs flows of the Wild Rice and Red River presented 37,800 cfs of flow ( well north of a 100 year flood – nearly two thirds of the way to a 500 year flood ) coming towards Fargo, which is 8,300 cfs greater than the 29,500 cfs flows measured at Fargo during the peak crest in 2009, and did not likely include overland flows from the Sheyenne river and breakouts along HWY 46.
The disparity of 8,300 cfs is what is left of the natural flood plain buffer that Fargo has not yet destroyed.
Allowing further encroachment into the natural flood plain only forces that water on others…, like Moorhead and creates a greater threat to the metro area along the entire Red River channel.
Moorhead has very little if anything to gain by directly or indirectly supporting a land development project in Fargo.
Moorhead Council members are serving their constituents interests wisely by questioning whether or not to continue their partnership and funnel business development, home starts and perpetual lost tax dollars toward Fargo’s south side development plan.
Drop them a line and share your thoughts… Contact Moorhead City Council
A matter they will wrestle with at their July 8 meeting.
Views: 94
I applaud Moorheads completion of necessary flood walls and preventions.
While Fargo is yet again responding to a frequent summer event and building clay dikes, closing roads, Moorhead is business as usual.
Business as usual is what large employers want and is the reason that flood control for the region should be looked at; yet Fargo is still not able to provide what tiny Moorhead has. Why it that?
The current plan that the Diversion Authority is doggedly locked into is not going to be finished for years, maybe decades, because of impacts to citizens who get no benefit, while the threat to Fargo remains.
Fargo, follow Moorhead’s shining example, PLEASE!
Moorhead has it good, they can say they support the Fargo Diversion and know that they have no real responsibility to fund it. The state of MN has paid the bill to protect them from flooding and MN will pay the bill to flood the 14000 acres of MN land. This is a strange situation. As Fargo builds up flood protection on the ND side MN pays to protect the new at risk areas ands then pays again to flood more MN citizens. Politics makes strange bed fellows.