Harwood community fighting the flood on 2 fronts

Here in Harwood, contracts were signed today to build a dyke across this drainage ditch along I-29 to keep the Sheyenne from backing up into town. Besides the project in the ditch, the city is in a wait and see mode.

BERNIE STASCH - Harwood Supt. Public Works: “I think what's helping us a lot right now is that the Red is only at 32 - 33 feet and that's helping us a lot. It's like once it get up to 35, 36, 37 then it kind of starts putting pressure on the Sheyenne for us. Kind of see that fluctuation a little bit more.”

Along the Sheyenne the city is also expecting to have to put up 1 to 2 thousand sandbags along this levee which has shown some signs of slumping.

The raising of I-29 should keep water off the interstate and a new culvert under the highway should relieve some flooding in Harwood and also may give some relief to the Lake Shure neighborhood south of town.

With a crest on the Red expected this weekend and the melt not quite underway on the Sheyenne, people in Harwood are optimistic about the flood fight of 2011.

Tags: your city, rob kupec, flood, harwood, news