Editing Red River of the North (section)

==Floods==
[[File:Fargo-Moorhead Troll Bridge during 2023 Spring Flood.jpg|thumb|upright=1.15|The [[Fargo, North Dakota|Fargo]]-[[Moorhead, Minnesota|Moorhead]] "toll bridge" (a [[low-water crossing]]) during 2023 spring flood. The water level was at {{cvt|29.5|ft}}, just below the threshold for a [[Flood stage#Major Flood Stage|major flood]].]]
Floods happen in the Red River when the water level increases over the tops of riverbanks due to significant precipitation over the same area for long periods, in the forms of persistent thunderstorms, rain, or snow combined with spring snow melt and ice jam.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Atashi |first1=Vida |title=Water Level Forecasting Using Deep Learning Time-Series Analysis: A Case Study of Red River of the North. |journal=Water |date=2022 |volume=14 |issue=12 |page=1971 |doi=10.3390/w14121971 |doi-access=free }}</ref> Major floods in historic times include those of [[1826 Red River flood|1826]], [[1897 Red River flood|1897]], [[1950 Red River flood|1950]], [[1997 Red River flood|1997]], [[2009 Red River flood|2009]], [[2011 Red River flood|2011]], and there has been significant flooding many years in between.<ref name="Ref_c">{{Cite web |url=http://www.rrbdin.org/about/flood-tables.jsp |title=Major Historical Floods in the Red River Basin |access-date=2007-11-16 |archive-date=2008-08-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080827181842/http://www.rrbdin.org/about/flood-tables.jsp |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>[https://water.weather.gov/ahps2/hydrograph.php?gage=whnn8&wfo=fgf Red River of the North at Wahpeton, North Dakota – National Weather Service]</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.rrbdin.org/about/flood-tables.jsp |title=Archived copy |access-date=2007-11-16 |archive-date=2009-03-22 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090322060720/http://www.rrbdin.org/about/flood-tables.jsp |url-status=dead }}</ref> Geologists have found evidence of many other floods in prehistoric times of equal or greater size. These "[[paleoflooding|paleofloods]]" are known from their effects on local landforms, and have been the subject of scholarly studies.<ref name="Ref_d">{{Cite web |url=https://www.gov.mb.ca/iedm/mrd/geo/pflood/index.html |title="Paleofloods in the Red River Basin" |access-date=2017-09-10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050331032356/http://www.gov.mb.ca/iedm/mrd/geo/pflood/index.html |archive-date=2005-03-31 |url-status=dead }}</ref> After the disastrous 1950 flood, which resulted in extensive property damage and losses in [[Winnipeg]], the province of Manitoba undertook flood prevention by constructing the [[Red River Floodway]]. Completed in 1968, it diverts floodwaters around the city to less settled areas farther down the river. Grand Forks, North Dakota, and East Grand Forks, Minnesota, suffered widespread destruction in the [[1997 Red River flood|flood of 1997]]. 75% of the population in the former city was evacuated, and all of the latter. Many of the residential areas along the rivers were inundated and all the homes had to be destroyed. Afterward, a massive flood protection project was undertaken to protect both cities. Atashi et al. study conducted spatial analyses of the Permanent Water Area (PWA) and Seasonal Water Area (SWA), revealing a specific vulnerable section near Grafton city, located between Grand Forks and Emerson, that is highly susceptible to severe floods.

===1950 flood===
{{Main article|1950 Red River flood}}
On May 8, 1950, the Red River reached its highest level at Winnipeg since 1861.<ref name="Ref_2006">{{cite web | title = Winnipeg Flood – 1950 | work = SOS! Canadian Disasters: Water | publisher = [[Library and Archives Canada]]  | url = http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/sos/002028-1200-e.html?PHPSESSID=gj191qoh91idmvrkkv03trjco2 | date = 14 February 2006 }}</ref>  Eight [[Dike (construction)|dikes]] protecting Winnipeg gave way and flooded much of the city, turning {{cvt|600|sqmi|km2|order=flip}} of farmland into an enormous lake. The city turned to the [[Canadian Army]] and the [[Red Cross]] and [[The Salvation Army]] for help, and nearly 70,000 people were evacuated from their homes and businesses. Four of eleven bridges in the city were destroyed, and damage was estimated at between $900 million and $1 billion.

As a result of the floods, a flood control project was constructed to prevent such damage in the future. The Red River Floodway around Winnipeg attracted some derision at the time, as some people thought it was massively overbuilt and was the then-largest earth-moving project in the world.{{Citation needed|date=April 2009}} The project was completed under-budget, and has been used for at least some flood control 20 times in the 37 years from its completion to 2006. The Floodway has saved an estimated CA$10&nbsp;billion in flood damages.{{Citation needed|date=April 2009}}

===1997 flood===
{{Main article|1997 Red River flood}}
In the spring of 1997 a major flood of the Red River caused a total of $3.5 billion in damage and required temporary evacuation of towns and cities on both sides of the border. The cities of [[Grand Forks, North Dakota]], and [[East Grand Forks, Minnesota]], suffered the most damage, and most of their populations had to be evacuated. The river crested at more than {{convert|54|ft}} above [[Geodetic datum|datum]].

The cities worked with [[FEMA]] and the state of Minnesota to clear the [[floodplain]]s of the river on both sides, prohibiting future housing or businesses in this area. They created the [[Greater Grand Forks Greenway]] on both sides, which includes city and state parks, a long bike trail, and other recreational amenities. The trees and greenery help absorb floodwaters. A dike system was constructed outside this area on both sides to protect the cities from future floods. In East Grand Forks, a removable [[flood wall]] was constructed in the downtown area so that residents did not lose their connection to the river.

In Winnipeg, the flood crested at {{convert|24.5|ft}} above [[Geodetic datum|datum]] at the James Avenue pumping station, making it the third-highest flood at Winnipeg in [[recorded history]]. It was surpassed by the floods of 1825, and 1826. The city was largely spared the fate of Grand Forks thanks to the Floodway, which was pushed to its capacity during the 1997 flood.<ref name="Province of Manitoba">{{cite web|title=An Overview of 2009 Spring Flooding in Manitoba|url=https://www.gov.mb.ca/waterstewardship/reports/floods/spring_flood_2009_overview.pdf|publisher=Province of Manitoba|date=August 2009}}</ref>

===2009 flood===
{{Main article|2009 Red River flood}}
In 2009 the Red River flooded in early spring. By Friday, March 27, the river at Fargo had reached the highest level in recorded history.<ref>{{cite web
  | last = Gunderson
  | first = Dan |author2=Robertson, Tom |author3=Nelson, Tim
  | title = Red River tops historic marker, undermines dike
  | publisher = [[Minnesota Public Radio]]
  | date = 2009-03-27
  | url = http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2009/03/27/flood_friday/
  | access-date = 2009-03-27}}</ref><ref name = Kolpack>{{cite web | last = Kolpack | first = Dave | title = Red River valley gets good news in new flood forecast | publisher = [[Minnesota Public Radio]] | url = http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2009/03/28/floodforecast/ | date = March 28, 2009 }} (AP)</ref> Its discharge at that location was far in excess of normal flows.<ref>{{cite web
  | title = Real-Time Water Data for Red River of the North at Fargo, ND
  | work = National Water Information System: Web Interface
  | date = 27 March 2009
  | publisher = [[United States Geological Survey]]
  | url = http://waterdata.usgs.gov/nd/nwis/uv/?site_no=05054000 }}</ref> The river crested at the James Avenue pumping station in Winnipeg at {{convert|22.5|ft}} above datum, making it the fourth-highest flood in recorded history.<ref name="Province of Manitoba"/>

===2011 flood===
{{Main article|2011 Red River flood}}
Due to a wet summer in 2010, as well as an above average amount of snowfall through the winter in the Red River Valley, the Red River spilled its banks. It crested in Winnipeg at the James Avenue pumping station at {{convert|19.59|ft}} above datum,  as the sixth highest flood levels in recorded history if flood protection such as the [[Portage Diversion]] and the Red River Floodway were not in place.<ref>{{cite web|title=The Red River reached an open water crest in Winnipeg at James Avenue yesterday at 19.59 feet|url=http://mbfloods.ca/reports/view/1334|publisher=Manitoba Floods|date=6 May 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110820202613/http://mbfloods.ca/reports/view/1334|archive-date=20 August 2011}}</ref> That same year there was a surprise major flood on the [[Assiniboine River]]. In May 2011, a Manitoba-wide [[state of emergency]] was declared in the wake of a 300-year flood on the Assiniboine River at [[Brandon, Manitoba|Brandon]]. Many residents had to be evacuated.<ref name="CTVnews1">{{cite web|url=https://winnipeg.ctvnews.ca/evacuees-wait-to-return-home-as-brandon-faces-one-in-300-year-flood-1.641933|title=Evacuees wait to return home as Brandon faces one-in-300-year flood|publisher=CTV news|access-date=2012-09-03|date=10 May 2011}}</ref><ref name="CanadianPress1">{{cite web|url=https://www.google.com/hostednews/canadianpress/article/ALeqM5iwiWqdGZXp9QEP_dojKRmMHf3NmA?docId=6799222|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130102225311/http://www.google.com/hostednews/canadianpress/article/ALeqM5iwiWqdGZXp9QEP_dojKRmMHf3NmA?docId=6799222|url-status=dead|archive-date=2013-01-02|publisher=The Canadian Press|title=Title unknown|access-date=2012-09-03}}</ref><ref name="CJOB1">{{cite web|url=http://www.cjob.com/News/Local/Story.aspx?ID=1414873 |title=Provincial State of Emergency Declared|website=CJOB 68 |access-date=2012-09-03 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120331014105/http://www.cjob.com/News/Local/Story.aspx?ID=1414873 |archive-date=March 31, 2012|date=May 9, 2011 }}</ref>