Changes to levees mean fewer sandbags will be needed

Rose Creek is home to businesses, schools, and expensive houses, some along a golf course. That in itself makes battling a flood more difficult.

Homeowner Dan Armbrust moved to Rose Creek six years ago. He battled floods before in Oak Creek, and then came the flood of 09.

“We were able to hold water back.”

Armbrust never imagined having to do it again, just one year later. After all, he says it is called the 100 year flood.

“Obviously disappointed hearing we could be doing the same thing we did last year.”

The neighborhoods in Rose Creek looked nothing like they do now. The area seemed more like a war zone, clay levees down the middle of roads, some homes by them, others not.

“We were very busy with sandbagging. We had sandbags in the back of homes and clay dikes in the front.”

“The heights we were at last year, the sandbag levees did get pretty high.”

Tonight, dozens of homeowners are finding out, the city of Fargo is hoping to not have that again. Sandbags can lose their strength if they sit in water for too long.

“We have made a lot of improvements along the coulee-corridor.”

The city has made changes to earthen levees, which will mean fewer sandbags will need to be filled. Instead, more clay dikes will be built in low lying spots along the bike trails near the creek and golf course.

“We can actually borrow clay for some of those areas and lessen the load in getting bags back to the back of the properties.”

For the short term, it will be less work, money, and stress for the city, volunteers, and homeowners. The dikes could then be left for future flood fights.

“If the city does it themselves, I understand, we're able to leave them up which would be a great idea, at least along the golf course.”

Homeowners are being asked to clear snow, where dikes may be built. Another change, more city workers will be roaming through Rose Creek to help homeowners.

Tags: travis skonseng, newsfargo, flood, home, news