By T.McDonald
Fargo, ND – Fargo City Engineer Mark Bittner says city officials could decide later this winter on how to proceed with a flood control project for the city's south side. Bittner says the city is gathering input on four alternatives to protect the city from overland flooding. He says in major flood years the city sees problems with the Wild Rice River as it interacts with the high levels of the Red River. Bittner says when it comes to permanent flood protection; Fargo has some gaps.
"...Fargo would probably be the last city in the Red River basin in North Dakota that doesn't have permanent flood protection like Wahpeton-Breckenridge, Grand Forks-East Grand Forks. Some of the smaller rural cities - like Argusville - they've had ring dikes around them for quite a number of years. I think Fargo would probably be the last that doesn't have permanent protection, so, we've got some work ahead of us."
Bittner says he'd like to see preliminary recommendations be made by mid-March for the project. He says construction could begin in 2008 - with the final project to be complete by 2010.