Red River continues gradual rise in northern valley
Apr. 19—GRAND FORKS — The Red River of the North in Grand Forks continues to rise after reaching the threshold for minor flooding on Tuesday, April 18.
On Wednesday, April 19, at 1:45 p.m., a river gauge reading showed the river at 35.6 feet, with minor flooding starting at 28 feet. The river is forecast to pass the moderate flood stage of 40 feet sometime on Thursday, April 20.
Wednesday morning's National Weather Service flood update came as a system bringing rain, snow and sleet moved over the northern Red River Valley. The system brought a tentative to quarter-inch of liquid precipitation to Grand Forks and a quarter- to half-inch of liquid precipitation to more northern towns like Grafton, North Dakota and Hallock, Minnesota.
Another system,
potentially bringing a winter storm, is expected to move across northeastern North Dakota and northwestern Minnesota between Thursday morning and Friday morning,
but Wednesday's flood forecasts only included potential precipitation before 7 a.m. on Thursday.
Temperatures for the next seven days will be 20 to 25 degrees below normal, said Amanda Lee, service hydrologist at the NWS on Wednesday.
"For our high temperatures, generally in the 30s and 40s for the most part, kind of going above and below that freezing mark, which continues to slow down river flows, and such, considerably," Lee said.
The flood forecast on Wednesday shows the Red River at Grand Forks cresting around 43 feet over the weekend, under the major flood stage of 46 feet. More northern locations along the Red River, like Drayton and Pembina, are expected to see crests near the end of April.
North of Grand Forks, the Red River at Oslo, Minnesota, has risen above the moderate flood stage, which starts at 30 feet. As of Wednesday at 2:15 p.m., the river had reached 32.5 feet. Wednesday's flood forecast shows the river remaining just under the major flood stage of 36 feet for the next seven days. Usually, Highway 220 and 317 north of Oslo are covered in water at 35 feet.
The forecast for the Red River at Drayton shows the river reaching the minor flood stage of 32 feet on Thursday. In the next seven days, it will near the moderate flood stage of 38 feet.
The Red River of the North at Pembina is expected to rise above the minor flood stage of 39 feet early on Thursday and above the moderate flood stage of 44 feet on Saturday, April 22. Major flooding begins at 49 feet. Lee said ice jams that caused the Pembina River at Neche, North Dakota, to rise are now moving toward Pembina, but was unsure how those ice jams would affect Pembina as the Pembina River joins the Red River.
"That's something that's going to have to be watched if that's going to impact any of their issues as the Red continues to rise," Lee said.
While flooding is just beginning on the mainstem Red River, many tributaries in the Northern Valley have already crested.
In Crookston, Minnesota, the river is predicted to drop below the minor flood stage of 15 feet on Wednesday or Thursday. The Two Rivers River at Hallock, Minnesota, remains within the moderate flood stage, which starts at 806 feet, but is forecast to slowly decline over the next seven days.
The Snake River at Alvarado, Minnesota, has yet to crest, but is predicted to crest below the moderate flood stage early on Thursday.
The Forest River in Minto, North Dakota, dropped below the minor flood stage of 6 feet on Wednesday after cresting at 9.25 feet on Monday, April 17. Moderate flooding begins 8 feet.
The Pembina River at Neche, North Dakota, which experienced major flooding, has receded to minor flooding after an ice jam moved through the town. In Neche, minor flooding begins at 18 feet, moderate flooding begins at 19 feet and major flooding begins at 20.5 feet. The river crested around 21 feet on Tuesday, April 18.
In Greater Grand Forks, river related closures have begun as the river rises. Pedestrian bridges on the north and south end of Grand Forks have been closed. On Wednesday, the lower loop of Lincoln Drive Park in Grand Forks closed because of rising waters, including access to the dog park. In East Grand Forks, the train bridge underpass, gravel road in LaFave Park and the U.S. Highway 2 off ramp and River Road underpass have been closed.
All information regarding 2023 flood planning in Grand Forks can be found online at
. This includes information about road closures, sandbag pick up and all news releases. Similar information for East Grand Forks can be found at
.
River and overland flooding in northwestern North Dakota has caused road closures, but some roads are opening up as tributaries recede. On Wednesday, U.S. Highway 81 between Minto and Grafton reopened after it was
closed because of Forest River flooding.
Stay up to date with North Dakota and Minnesota road conditions at
https://www.grandforksherald.com/north-dakota-road-conditions
and
https://www.grandforksherald.com/minnesota-road-conditions
.
