Photo: South of Jamestown, LaMoure County Memorial Park at Grand Rapids is flooded for the second time this year. Courtesy Gene Hanson
BISMARCK, N.D. (NewsDakota.com) – Gov. Doug Burgum, Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring and other state officials will meet with local officials and community members on Monday, Oct. 21, in Fargo, Grand Forks and Jamestown and hold a townhall meeting in Fessenden to hear about the impacts of North Dakota’s unusually wet fall and last weekend’s record-breaking early snowstorm and to discuss the state’s response efforts.
Burgum and Goehring will visit with farmers and ranchers to get a better understanding of the impacts being felt during this harvest season and discuss measures North Dakota is taking to help ease the strain of those economic and emotional hardships, including likely requests for a USDA secretarial disaster designation and a presidential disaster declaration. Information on meeting times and locations is below.
In addition to farmland impacts, a large swath of the state is experiencing unprecedented fall flooding, both riverine and overland. Local emergency managers have reported impacts to rural roads, many softened by wet conditions and becoming more susceptible to washouts.
As of Friday, the following counties and cities have issued flood emergency declarations: the counties of Barnes, Cavalier, Grand Forks, LaMoure, Stutsman, Traill, Walsh and Wells and the cities of Grand Forks, Jamestown, LaMoure and Valley City.
In Jamestown, officials this week requested two sandbag machines from the State Emergency Operations Center to begin sandbag operations in preparation for high water releases from the Pipestem and Jamestown dams. The U.S. Corps of Engineers increased release volumes to evacuate flood storage there while also increasing releases from the Baldhill Dam as Lake Ashtabula’s levels rise, which could further affect areas throughout Barnes, Stutsman and LaMoure Counties.
The State Water Commission has ceased operation of the Devils Lake outlets for the remainder of this year so as not to increase flows on the already high Sheyenne River. The current lake level is 1,448.5 feet.
Residents in Grand Forks have reported flooded basements, while floodwaters also are encroaching on sugar beet fields, rural homes and roadways.
The Red River and its tributaries have also risen to high levels this fall. Currently, the river is within 1 foot of moderate flood stage in Fargo and 1 foot above major flood stage in Oslo, Minn., further north. While conditions are not parallel to those of this spring, there still is significant flood risks in rural areas.
This week, Goehring encouraged agricultural producers to contact NDSU Extension agents to report incurred damages and losses. Those reports will be used to provide information to the governor to assist in consideration for a USDA secretarial disaster designation. This mechanism opens up access to financial assistance through WHIP+ (Wildfire and Hurricane Indemnity Plus Program). Payments from the program will take into account a producer’s crop insurance coverage and the size of the loss.
Additionally, a presidential disaster declaration is being pursued and potentially would include public assistance for emergency work and the repair or replacement of damaged road infrastructure.
During the visits, Burgum and Goehring will explain the state’s whole-of-government approach to dealing with floods. They will be joined by representatives from a host of state agencies, including the state Department of Emergency Services, Department of Agriculture, Department of Environmental Quality, Department of Human Services, Department of Health, Department of Transportation and the State Water Commission.
The state agency representatives will be available to provide additional information on a range of recovery topics, including agricultural and clean-up resources, mental and behavioral health assistance and flood insurance.
Local government officials will be on hand Monday at the Jamestown Civic Center from 2:15 PM to 4:15 PM. The town hall meeting in Fessenden will be held at 5:30 on the Wells County Fairgrounds.