Fargo Flood 2009 pics

[FattyBoomBatty]

I was up there last week sandbagging and keeping my aunt, uncle and two cousins company. For a couple days, I was trapped by high water and a contingency dike on the road in their development. I'll keep adding more, but it takes a while to upload them.

Here's looking down the road away from their house, maybe a block or so away from their driveway.


Here's 180 degrees from that pic, looking toward the end of the culdesac where they are.


Here's their house from the street. Water all around them. Behind the house, it's about 150-200 yards to the river when it's in it's banks.


The National Guard stopped by for a beer and some pizza. Well, not really. They went to every house in flood zones getting people out that were stuck or stranded, or just bringing supplies if people needed them.


And here's the day I left, this last monday. This road was closed the day before. Higher water and wee icebergs made it pretty much impassable, but the icebergs were pretty much gone monday, so I made like oregon trail and drove my ford through the river.


Like I said, I have a bunch more, but slow internets, so some will show up later. Enjoy!

[Febo]

Holy crap.... thats nuts.

[A//// Guy]

Cool pics!! Sucks that this is happening though... but it is an every year event.

[GnArKiLl]

we are starting to get the same thing here in good old south dakota

[FattyBoomBatty]

It's never been this high before since fargo was inhabited as a city, but yeah, it goes up every year. That last pic shows what happens when it gets really high. Overland flooding. It fills up the farm fields and flows over I-29, closing that, but in doing so, it relieves the water buildup closer to the river, so what you see at their house is likely the highest it will ever really get, unless the area is developed more. More houses = less places for water to go, thus higher water.

If fargo and moorhead are smart, they will limit, north/south expansion in favor of east/west development.

[HiImBrian]

Yea this isn't really an every year event at all. Sure the frolf courses get a little wet every year, but it's never been this bad before.

Here's a few pics I took.





That last one was at 4am when me and my buddy were on dike patrol. We had to make sure the pumps didn't give out and nothing went wrong. We decided to make the best of it and drink a few and make a little fire/shelter to stay warm lol.

p.s. fargo is famous
http://www.thedailyshow.com/video/in...stop-the-press

[tpunx99GSX]

At least the water looks somewhat clean. But all in all that sucks. I heard about this from my fiances grandpa.

[Kracka]

It was very nice of you to ho help sandbag!

[FattyBoomBatty]

That last pic from Brian is funny because it made me think of the enormous quantity of beer consumed during this whole thing. The guy who was in charge of the dike down the middle of the road (in the pic with the 2.5ton military truck) was apparently completely wasted, and that's why it's crooked and all over the road! (Supposedly, haha).

Thanks for your pics Brian, and you did more than me, I'm sure. I never had to patrol dikes or stay up super late. Nice work.

[Kevin 1G Drummer]

Wow, I bet your aunt and uncle are glad their house is on that little hill!

[Halon]

Yeah, far from an every year event. This year was record setting. Thank god my g/f's house is ok. She was one of the few who actually went and bought flood insurance, so if worse came to worse, she would have at least not been stuck with a complete loss. She lives in an area that is considered a 500 year flood plain.

Crazyness though, and good to hear everyone is ok.

[FattyBoomBatty]

My aunt likes to say it's the 100 year flood that happens every 12. lol.

[sev]

thats insane.....

[HiImBrian]

Originally Posted by FattyBoomBatty

Thanks for your pics Brian, and you did more than me, I'm sure. I never had to patrol dikes or stay up super late. Nice work.

Aw it doesn't matter how much you help really, it's the fact that you made an effort to do something. I had my classes canceled for 2 weeks so I figured I should go help at least. It was sorta nice being fed nice home cooked food for over a week!

On the otherhand, I've gotta say it was pretty flippin cool to be able to man up and take control. There was a time when the police were pretty confused about what to do with all the semis and national gaurd that were bringing extra sandbags, so I stepped up and started tellin national gaurd where to go and skidloaders what to do. I've never been up on the big army tanks in my life, and I found myself up there unloading bags and overseeing skidloaders. It was quite the sense of accomplishment.

I'll throw up some more pics once I transfer them from my phone.

[lucasoil4u]

thats pretty nuts! everyone is great for helping them out. If i would have had time i would have been there. If you helped your a great person! too bad they have to flood all the time. I would be so pissed if i lived there.