Red River Diversion Project Future - KXNet - Bismarck/Minot/Williston/Dickinson

Red River Diversion Project Future

A recent change to the State Water budget has put a lot of focus on the project to provide flood control to the Fargo area.

Red River Diversion advocates say amendments recently added to the budget bill threaten the projects future.

Now they're asking senators to change the bill back to it's original form.

Donnell Preskey has the debate from the Senate hearing.

After years of fighting floods in the Red River Valley, the fight is now in the state capitol over a flood control plan.

"This stops the diversion."

Cass County Commissioner Darrell Vanyo is talking about House Bill 1020.

The House passed the bill last week that includes an amendment that outlaws public funds from being used in the diversion project.

"Limitation may question our readiness for the project. More interested in what's committed. We need to be armed with as much as we can," says Vanyo.

The Corps of Engineers has signed off on the 35 mile long channel to be built around the edge of Fargo.

The next step is authorization from Congress and funding.

"Corps is on track, ready to build this is the best project for region," says Aarron Snyder with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

But not all people in eastern North Dakota agree.

Richland County Scott Hendrickson says,"Carlson was spot on. This is a lopsided big win, big loss plan.

If a flood occurred, water would back up in a staging area. Impacting an area south of Fargo.

"It's a land grab for Fargo, destroy farmland," says Dennis Biewer who lives in the Bakke Development.

"My farmstead would be wiped out," says Jerome Nipstad.

"We support protection for Fargo but don't support state $ handed out to flood our community," says Biewer.

Farmer Craig Hertsgaard says, "No one wants Fargo to flood but not right for rest of state to pay price."

But diversion advocates say the channel would protect 200,000 people. Making it a plan for the region, not just Fargo..

"Can't pickup FM area and move it. It is a huge flood plain," says Snyder.

"500 year flood shows water inundating entire Fargo," says Vanyo.

If the Senate makes changes to the bill, it will return to the House for it's reconsideration or end up in a conference committee.