Flooding is nothing new to North Dakota. The heavy snow we get during wintertime often melts quickly during springs usual wild weather, before the ground has had a chance to thaw, and turns into run-off. That run-off drains into the state’s major river valleys and can dramatically alter the height of the river. In some cases, these floods make it into the history books as the most devastating. Such was the case just a couple of decades ago in 1997 when record-breaking flooding occurred that no one will ever forget.
Today in Grand Forks, North Dakota, you can visit a monument alongside the Red River with different years and markers on it. The top year - 1997 - marks the height of the river during the historic flood of that season.
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The monument puts into perspective just how high the water was then, but if you lived through it you probably don’t need a reminder. In April and May of 1997, everything in the Red River Valley seemed submerged in water.
USACE/Wikimedia
While most major cities on the upper Red River, from Winnipeg in Canada down to Fargo in North Dakota were heavily effected, the cities that saw the worst of it were Grand Forks, ND and East Grand Forks right across the water in Minnesota.
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The water was so high it reached over 3 miles inland from the river, covering streets, businesses, and homes.
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The river was expected to crest at 49 feet due to heavy snow and extreme temperatures in late winter. Preparations were put in place including many sandbag dikes to prevent catastrophic damage. Unfortunately, the river surpassed the estimations and ended up cresting at 54 feet - spilling over many of the barriers.
US Air Force/Wikimedia
50,000 people had to be evacuated and $3.5 billion in damages occurred. In downtown Grand Forks, eleven buildings and sixty apartments even caught fire as a result as they weren’t able to easily be extinguished due to the floodwaters blocking emergency responders. It was a flood that won’t ever be forgotten.
USACE/Wikimedia
Do you remember the 1997 flood? If you felt the effects of that year’s flood, you most certainly also remember the crazy blizzard in North Dakota just weeks prior that contributed to it.
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USACE/Wikimedia
Matthew Hannen/Flickr
US Air Force/Wikimedia
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