Past, current floods reveal Red River basin's needs

Earlier this month we marked the 25th anniversary of the Red River Flood of 1997, an event that transformed two states and changed the way we think about protecting property, homes and farmland.

When floodwaters breached the dikes on April 18, 1997, homes and businesses throughout East Grand Forks and Grand Forks were destroyed. "Out of a city of close to 9,000 people, the number was eight homes that had no flood damage," says Steve Gander, mayor of East Grand Forks.

With the cities underwater and several buildings in downtown Grand Forks on fire, the catastrophe was almost surreal. The flood displaced more than 50,000 people in the region and drew national attention and a visit from then-President Bill Clinton. Damage was estimated at $3.5 billion.

The 1997 flood also drove people to act. Congress moved swiftly to fund a $409 million levee system. Entire neighborhoods were removed to make room for the levees.

At the headwaters of the Red, 125 miles south of Grand Forks, the city of Breckenridge suffered severe damage in 1997 when temporary dikes failed. A flood diversion channel and levees to protect Breckenridge and neighboring Wahpeton, N.D., were completed in 2005 at a cost of $45 million. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers estimates that project has prevented $165 million in flood damage since that time.

That project and others along the Red River have made an enormous difference. Twelve years after the 1997 flood, East Grand Forks saw its fourth-highest flood on record, and it was a completely different experience. Even as waters peaked at 49 feet, residents didn't have to worry about floods reaching their homes.

But flooding in the Red River Basin has not been solved. Since 1997, flooding has occurred in 1998, 1999, 2001, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2019, 2020 — and again this year.

The Red River Watershed Management Board (RRWMB) was created by the Minnesota Legislature in 1976 to provide a basin-wide perspective focused on flood mitigation and habitat restoration. RRWMB is continually looking for ways to reduce flood damage. They include projects that:

This year RRWMB is seeking $47 million in bond funds from the Legislature for its member watershed districts to complete flood buyouts, city flood protection projects and large-scale water storage projects.

Because of the extensive damage caused by flooding, resources invested in flood mitigation show a strong return on investment. According to a report by the National Institute of Building Sciences, $1 invested in hazard mitigation saves $6.

The flood of 1997 was a shocking event that will forever be remembered. But 25 years later, the Red River Basin is thriving. To ensure that communities up and down the Red River can stay strong, Minnesota should invest smart resources to prevent a future disaster.

Robert Sip is executive director, Red River Watershed Management Board, Ada, Minn. On Twitter at @RRWMB_MN.