Red River Basin Decision Information Network

University of MN Publishes Subsurface Drainage Guidelines.

cfritz — Tue, 14 May 2013 20:23:57 +0000

Dr. Gary Sands (UMN Extension) has released a study investigating various drainage coefficients and their effects on crop yields and hydrology. The study was funded by the Red River Watershed Management Board and the US Corps of Engineers as part of the Red River Watershed Feasibility Study.

“DEVELOPING OPTIMUM DRAINAGE DESIGN GUIDELINES FOR THE RED RIVER BASIN“

CRED

sheppard — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 20:10:14 +0000

CRED (cred.wq.io) is a mobile web app to facilitate community monitoring of the Red River basin spring runoff. Anyone in the region can sign in to CRED to submit timely reports and photographs from their mobile devices (or desktop computers) for review by partners at local and federal agencies.

CRED is a service is made possible as part of the Watershed Feasibility Study sponsored by the US Army Corps of Engineers, the Red River Watershed Management Board, and the ND Red River Joint Water Resources District.

Scan this QR code to open CRED on your mobile device.

Reports posted to CRED are retweeted via @CREDreports, using a hashtag syntax based on recommendations by the Tweak the Tweet project. More information can be found by visiting the dedicated Tweak the Tweet instance for the 2013 Red River floods.

Fargo-Moorhead Flood Crest Lowered: 38′-40′ Expected

cfritz — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 15:09:28 +0000

The expected crest on the Red River in Fargo-Moorhead was lower to between 38-40 feet by officials at the National Weather Service (NWS) on Wednesday evening. The Red River i is expected to rise to near 37 feet by Wednesday, May 1st with a crest in Fargo-Moorhead likely sometime later next week.

A number of unprecedented conditions have made this year’s flood prediction difficult including a predicted crest that is the latest in recorded history.

Several additional critical factors to consider:

Water has been essentially parked over a large part of the southern basin for days.
Ditches are quite full and poised to flow in many areas.
The rapid warm-up expected from Thursday into next week should break all of this loose.
Yes, some soil infiltration is occurring over portions of the southern Basin – Good News!
Soils are now quite saturated (far southern valley).
Heavy rain is quite possible from Tuesday into Wednesday of next week.
The 40 foot top-range projection does take into account the possibility of localized thunderstorms and the potential for a 1-2 inch rainfall.
The 38 foot bottom range does take into account expected soil infiltration and an offset timing between Red River and Wild Rice River crest, along with little or no additional precipitation.

For more information, visit:

RED RIVER OF THE NORTH AND DEVILS LAKE FLOOD INFORMATION PORTAL

NWS Updates 2013 Spring Flood Forecast: 40% Chance of “Record” Flood in Fargo-Moorhead

cfritz — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 20:25:58 +0000

The National Weather Service (NWS) in Grand Forks has updated the 2013 Red River Basin flood forecast. Because of the unprecedented conditions across the Red River of the North Basin, the NWS worked with the US Army Corps of Engineers to employ a number of contingency modeling techniques to ensure the best possible information is provided to local, state and federal officials. According to officials at the NWS, we are in “uncharted territory” because the late spring and wet conditions that will almost certainly result in latest flood crest in history. The latest models indicate a 40% chance of a “record” flood in Fargo-Moorhead (2009 crest: 40.84 feet) with an expected range of 39-41 feet.

From the NWS:

Climatologically unprecedented delay in the Spring melt.
An additional 2 to 22 inches of snow fell across North Dakota and Northern Minnesota from Saturday 4/13 into Monday 4/15 adding .15 to 1.5” of liquid equivalent to the Devils Lake and Red River Basins. More snow is falling.
Below normal temperatures and above normal precipitation are expected through April 30th across the Northern Plains area. (Normal Highs: 55-60 F, Normal Lows: 27-32 F, Normal Precipitation: 0.25-0.45 inches)
The first possible significant river response due to Spring melt will be this weekend or early next week… deterministic river forecasts to follow.
Based on current data and forecasts, the Red River at Fargo will crest near the end of April… more northern points cresting from early to mid May.
If a rapid warm-up occurs in late April and early May along with widespread heavy rain, river flooding will be amplified throughout these basins.

For more information:

RRBDIN Interactive Flood Forecast Map

No FM Diversion Funds in President Obama’s Budget

cfritz — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 14:24:16 +0000

Despite efforts from local officials and the ND and MN congressional delegation who remain committed to the project, President Obama’s 2014 budget includes only $6.1 million for planning, engineering, and design for the US Army Corps of Engineers. There we no projects funded nationwide that are aimed at reducing flood risk from rivers.

Regardless, Diversion Authority members are optimistic that the North Dakota State Legislature will provide critical funding for the FM Diversion project. Work is expected to continue on all three key Diversion Project priorities; 1) Oxbow-area ring levee, 2) in town levees, and 3) reaches 1 &3.

For more information: “Diversion Project Continues Despite President’s Budget Plan“

Red River in Fargo Expected to Crest Late April

cfritz — Thu, 04 Apr 2013 13:59:03 +0000

Thanks to colder than normal temperatures in the region expected through the next few weeks, the flood crest in Fargo is not expected until later this month. For more information see the Fargo Forum Article:

http://www.inforum.com/event/article/id/395297/

Project Planning Tool

admin — Fri, 22 Mar 2013 15:58:48 +0000

The Project Planning Tool (PPT) is designed to guide efforts to plan and evaluate flood damage reduction projects at a sub-watershed and watershed scale.

Basin Technical and Scientific Advisory Committee formed to Study Surface Drainage

cfritz — Fri, 22 Mar 2013 15:29:07 +0000

The International Water Institute has been charged with assembling the Basin and Technical Advisory Committee (BTSAC) to:

Determine best management practices for the existing surface drainage system to increase or maintain local benefits and reduce peak flows.
Determine best management practices for future improvements/modification to the existing surface drainage system to maintain or improve local benefits and reduce peak flows.

BTSAC membership includes technical representatives from watershed districts, water resource districts, cities, environmental organizations, universities, and state/federal natural resource and agriculture agencies. The role of the BTSAC is to utilize science and best professional judgment to address technical issues and questions posed by officials in the Red River Basin who are responsible for managing water resources.

The BTSAC completed a study focusing on subsurface (tile) drainage last last year.

Major Flood Risk along entire Red River Mainstem

cfritz — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 15:21:57 +0000

The National Weather Service spring 2013 flood outlook indicates residents in the Red River Basin can expect flood levels similar to the 2010/2011 events. Later winter snowfall has increased the snow water equivalent (SWE) to 6 inches or more in the southern portions of the basin.

Below normal temperatures with additional chances of snowfall in coming weeks will likely delay runoff beginning before early April which increases the chance for a volatile mix of rapid warm-up and potential spring rain coinciding with the snowmelt.

A wealth of information on flood preparedness and response can be found on the Red River Basin Information Network’s Integrated Warning Team (IWT). The IWT is a cooperative effort between the National Weather Service, the International Water Institute and the US Army Corps of Engineers. The IWT has developed an Interactive Flood Planning Map that serves as a single portal to local, state, and federal flood and flood response related information.

Interactive Flood Planning Map

cfritz — Thu, 07 Mar 2013 01:53:33 +0000

The INTERACTIVE FLOOD PLANNING MAP provides one-stop access to important flood information including Flood Forecast Displays, Flood Extents (1997 and 2009), Weather Alerts, Radar, Weather Forecasts City and County contact information, and much more! The Interactive Flood Planning Map was created by the Red River of the North Devils Lake Integrated Warning Team (IWT) to serve as a single location for information during flood emergencies. Funding was provided by the US Army Corps of Engineers, St. Paul District as part of the Red River Basin Watershed Feasibility Study.

Project Team:

International Water Institute

National Weather Service (Grand Forks, ND)

Houston Engineering Inc.