FM Area Diversion Project ND Trails Conference (August 8, 2018)
Flood History and Protection Needs
Transportation Challenges Interstate 29 Closed April 10. Reopened April 15, 2011. Detour added = 22.8 miles
Volunteer Flood Fighters
Volunteers Fill the Fargo Dome (2009) 7 Million Sandbags – 150,000 Volunteer Hours
2009 69 Miles of Emergency Emergency Measures Flood Fight Peak – 40.82 ft 42 Miles of Temporary Levee 8 Miles of Hesco 0.3 Miles of Porta-Dam 19 Miles of Sandbag 7.3+ Million Sandbags Used
Historical Flooding and the Changing 100-Year Floodplain
By the numbers: Flood Insurance Risk 11,000 $3,000- homes $5,000 ~$30 impacted by future per family to $50 FEMA floodplain million Average annual flood insurance premium per home In total, annual flood insurance premiums
Protection for floods larger than 100-Year Red River Basin Commission Long-term Flood Solution Confirm ► 500-year protection recommended for large metro areas ► Only Winnipeg meets this recommendation ► Bigger floods have happened ► Minot, Grand Forks ► FM Area Diversion Project provides ► 100-year protection ► Ability to fight larger floods Red River Floodway near Winnipeg
The Federal Project
Numerous Alternatives Considered ND ND MN Southside West West Distributed Short Protection Diversion Diversion Diversion Storage Plan 45K 35K 25K ND MN MN No East Short Long Diversion Diversion Diversion Action 35K 35K 25K MN MN MN Long Long Levee Levee Short Diversion Diversion Diversion 2% chance 1% chance 45K 35K 45K
Federal Project Federally Authorized Project ▪ $93M in Federal funding to date Diversion Channel in ND • 1,600 ft wide Upstream Mitigation Area • 150,000 acre-feet of staging area • Eliminates downstream impacts In-town Levees • Critical Component of Project Provides 100-year Flood Risk Reduction Extreme Events are Flood-Fightable
Timeline of Federal Actions Feasibility Study Began Sep 2008 Flood of Record Spring 2009 Chief’s Report Signed Dec 2011 Record of Decision Signed Apr 2012 Water Resource Reform Development Act June 2014 Federal Appropriations & New Start Dec 2015 Federal Appropriation for Construction Feb 2016 Project Partnership Agreement Executed July 2016 Federal construction commenced April 2017 Construction Currently on Hold
Governors’ Task Force
Governors’ Task Force • Governors Dayton (MN) and Burgum (ND) agreed to form and co-chair a 16-person Task Force • Purpose : To develop design principles and concept-level engineering solutions to achieve balanced flood risk management for the Fargo-Moorhead region
Why did the Project change? • The Richland/Wilkin County JPA filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in 2013. The lawsuit was later joined by the Fargo-Moorhead Diversion Authority and by the State of Minnesota. • While the majority of claims were dismissed, an injunction stopping construction was ordered in Sept., 2017 “It is time for all parties to work together to find common ground.” - Chief Judge John A. Tunheim
A Changing 100-Year Floodplain
A Changing 100-Year Floodplain Governors’ Task Force Recommended Level 100-year = 33,000 cfs
Task Force Consensus ► Utilize full Period of Record hydrology ► 100-yr flood = 33,000 CFS ► Allow control of flood water flows through town to 37-feet during a 100-yr flood event ► New Western Tie-back Levee alignment in North Dakota ► Add an Eastern Tie-back Levee alignment in Minnesota ► Distributed storage is valuable for long-term risk management; however, it is not a component of the near-term Project that needs to provide 100-year flood protection for the F-M Metro
Governors’ Task Force
New Permit Application (Plan B)
What is Plan B? ► 100-year Flood Protection Minimum ► Some features designed to PMF (Probable Maximum Flood) as required by State and Federal Dam Safety Requirements ► Diversion Channel ► Southern Embankment and Control structures ► Temporary Staging of Flood Waters Upstream to Prevent Downstream Impacts ► In-town Levees through Fargo-Moorhead
Existing Conditions ► 100-year floodplain shown in Blue
With Project ► 100-year floodplain with project shown in Blue
Increased flow through Fargo-Moorhead (37-feet) ► Design will allow 37-feet through town (up from 35-feet) ► Project will only operate 1 in 20 years, on average ► Benefits Fargo-Moorhead every year Plan B 15 floods 8 floods 5 floods 2 floods 3 floods
Eastern Tie-Back Levee ► Limits the extent of impacts in Minnesota ► Eliminates any impacts to the City of Comstock, thus eliminating the need for a ring levee ► Eliminates the need to raise Hwy 75 or the BNSF railroad ► Impact to organic farms has been reduced nearly 90 percent from an estimated 2,900 acres to 300 acres
Revised Western Tie-Back Levee ► Shifts the western tie-back levee south and west from Horace ► Helps balance the impacts between North Dakota and Minnesota ► Reduces the impacts to Richland and Wilkin counties
Moving the Southern Embankment North ► Move the southern embankment north in balances the impacts between ND and MN ► Reduces the impacts to Richland and Wilkin counties ► Removes 4 of 11 cemeteries from the impacted area
Balanced Impacts between MN and ND PLAN B PRE-TASK FORCE MN MN PROTECTED PROTECTED 19% ACRES 19% ACRES • ND = 47,100 • ND = 41,200 • MN = 11,000 MN = 9,500 ND 81% ND 81% MN STAGING STAGING MN 19% AREA ACRES AREA ACRES 42% • ND = 20,700 • ND = 22,600 • MN = 14,800 • MN = 5,400 ND 58% ND 81%
Recreation Opportunities
Recreation Opportunities ► The Federal Water Project Recreation Act of 1965 requires an agency to fully consider recreational features that may be associated with Federal flood risk management projects. ► The City of Fargo, in conjunction with the Fargo park District, has also made a commitment to providing for recreational opportunities with flood protection efforts along the rivers and drains where practical
2 nd Street North City Hall Bike Paths
Timberline ► Bike Paths along Levees & Floodwalls Bike Path ► Reduces sandbag needs by approximately 800k Levee Levee & Retaining Floodwall Wall Combo Bike Path Floodwall
Rose Creek Area Golf Course Floodwall Bike Levee Paths Floodwall
Diversion Project Plan B: Recreation ► Recreation features are being planned along the entire length of the project and could include: ► Pedestrian/bicycle trails ► Cross Country Skiing ► Snowmobiling ► Trailheads ► Picnic Areas ► Rest rooms ► Interpretive signage ► Wildlife viewing structures ► Fishing ► Benches
Diversion Project Plan B: Recreation ► The Project includes 30-miles of excavated channel North and West of the metro area along with 12+ miles of embankment to the South.
Diversion Project Plan B: Trail Networks ► A continuous trail network will be required along the entire length of the Diversion channel. ► Frequent trailhead locations with multiple picnic areas ► Grade separations required at Interstates and RR crossings ► Native vegetation landscapes
Aqueduct Structures ► Project includes two aqueduct structures located at the intersection of the Diversion channel with the Maple and Sheyenne Rivers ► Aqueduct structures will be incorporated in the trail network and could provide fishing and educational opportunities.
Conceptual Equestrian Trail along Diversion Channel
Diversion Outlet Recreation Area
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