Unequal Protections
Originally Published HPR
Resubmitted to FMDam.org by author
To the Editor,
What is all this talk of a .02% chance of a 500 year flood, with dikes, dams, tie back levees, diversions, upstream and downstream impacts, North Dakota West alignment, North Dakota East alignment, North Inlet/ Proposal #3 Shorten ND East Diversion, Minnesota alignment, South alignment, final array of alternatives, practical alternatives, executive order 11988, flowage easement, mitigation of impacts, Basin Wide Solutions, Long Term Flood Solutions, concurrent flooding on the tributaries, ring dikes, no apparent adverse impacts to the aquifer, impacts to school districts, local non federal sponsor, LPP plan, FCP plan, Red River gate control plans formulated by the Corps, no crop insurance coverage for flooded crops in the inundated staging area, no compensation for impacts outside of the staging area except for “takings” under federal law, natural flood plain, regulatory flood plain, worse than existing conditions, and more challenges? Because the FM Metro group chose the ND side alignment (Locally Preferred Plan (LPP)) all costs over the Minnesota side alignment (Federally Comparable Plan (FCP)) are FM Metro/North Dakota costs. The total cost is 2 billion plus dollars and very likely to rise higher. This is but a small list of the issues.
All that this really boils down to is the simple story of who is to grow and where. Fargo has found a way, with the help of the Corps. By protecting the “natural flood plain” and moving the water south to flood their neighbors, they will have created an area for growth. Their problem is now to make everyone believe their ”flood control plan” is the only way Fargo can have “flood protection” and hide the fact it is crafted to provide for Fargo’s future growth, in reality an economic development based plan.
The Red River Basin Commission has studied the problem of flooding and said it can be solved by using various flood control measures together. There may be even other ways to solve Fargo’s problem that can be arrived at if we all can come to the table and discuss possible alternate solutions. All of the meetings conducted by the Corps have been just telling us what will happen to us. No one has asked for our participation.
Changes can be implemented at this late date and many of us are still willing to talk about solving real problems and find a solution to basin wide flooding.
We will continue to oppose being bought out for Fargo’s desire to grow into the flood plain and flood us out.
Trana Rogne
Kindred, ND
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