Elizabeth Stoeckmann, Author at America's Engineers

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Paul District, awarded a $2 million contract to Red Bison Services, LLC, out of Kenner, Louisiana, May 17, to establish and maintain native vegetation for a wetland restoration project area near Horace, North Dakota, as part of the Fargo Moorhead Metropolitan Area Flood Risk Management Project.

The project, called the Drain 27 Wetland Restoration Project, is part of mitigation to offset unavoidable wetland impacts caused by the constriction of the Southern Embankment, a component of the Fargo Moorhead diversion project. It includes restoring 320-acres of wetland.

Construction of a weir, road removal, and grading of the area were completed in the fall of 2022. The project was designed as a mix of wetlands and native prairie buffer. The initial planting will occur in the spring of 2023.

The Corps is working in partnership with the cities of Fargo and Moorhead and the Metro Flood Diversion Authority on the diversion project. This project will provide flood risk reduction for more than 235,000 people and 70 square miles of infrastructure in the communities of Fargo, Moorhead, West Fargo, Horace and Harwood.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Paul District, signed a project partnership agreement with the city of Tower, Minnesota, for a water treatment plant improvement project. The project will upgrade the existing facility to meet Minnesota Department of Health drinking water standards.

The water treatment plant has 492 connections and serves approximately 1,000 people in the city of Tower and Breitung Township.

handshake — USACE Photo by Elizabeth Stoeckmann

The project will include water treatment plant upgrades along with removal and improvement of existing wells. The improvements will provide safe drinking water that is free of potentially harmful disinfection byproducts.

“This project aligns with our environmental infrastructure program mission goals to work with rural communities in northeastern Minnesota to improve their water-related environmental infrastructure, and ensure safe drinking water for residents,” said Corps’ Project Manager Michelle Prosser.

The project is estimated to cost $4.5 million. The Corps of Engineers will cover $3.38 million, and the city of Tower will provide the remainder.

It is anticipated the project will take 24 months to complete once started.

The St. Paul District’s environmental infrastructure programs assist rural communities with building, designing and/or restoring environmentally friendly water supply and wastewater treatment systems. By the end of 2022, the district has assisted more than 56 communities with this program.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Paul District, will reroute the Wild Rice River through the Wild Rice River Structure March 31 at or near 7:30 a.m.

Rerouting the Wild Rice River will be a major milestone for the Fargo, North Dakota/Moorhead, Minnesota Flood Risk Management Project. After three years of construction, Ames Construction, Inc., will permanently divert the Wild Rice River through a gated concrete structure, a project first. This reroute will allow Ames to complete construction of a dam embankment across the existing Wild Rice River channel.

The Wild Rice River Structure is a concrete control structure with two 40-foot wide Tainter gates. Upon completion of the entire diversion project, the Wild Rice and Red River structures will regulate flows through the metropolitan area during large flood events. The Red River Structure is also under construction and the permanent reroute of the Red River through that structure is anticipated in the next two to three years. It is important to note that the structures will not be used to control flooding until the entire diversion project is complete and approved for operation.

The Wild Rice River Structure is a part of the congressionally authorized Fargo-Moorhead diversion project which includes 30-mile-long diversion channel in North Dakota with upstream staging. The plan includes a 21-mile-long southern embankment, multiple highway and railroad bridges, three gated control structures and two aqueduct structures.

The Corps is working in partnership with the cities of Fargo and Moorhead and the Metro Flood Diversion Authority to build this project, which will provide flood risk management for more than 235,000 people and 70 square miles of infrastructure in the communities of Fargo, Moorhead, West Fargo, Horace and Harwood.

America's Engineers: The People, Programs, and Projects of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers ® is published by American Conference & Event Media, LLC.

Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited.

American Conference & Event Media, LLC., and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) do not assume and hereby disclaim any liability to any person or company for any loss or damage caused by errors or omissions in the material herein, regardless of whether such errors result from negligence, accident, or any other cause whatsoever. The views and opinions in the articles or advertisement are to be taken as the official expression of the publisher, staff, or writers, unless so stated. Neither the publisher nor USACE warrant, either expressly or by implication, the factual accuracy of the articles or advertisements herein, nor so they so warrant any view or opinions offered by the authors of said articles.

Permission to use various images and text in the publication and on this website was obtained from USACE or U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) and its agencies, and in no was is used to imply an endorsement by USACE nor any DOD entity for any claims or representations therein. None of the advertising contained herein implies USACE or DOD endorsement of any private entity or enterprise. This is not a U.S. government publication or website.