Farms evacuated as crews work to reinforce spillway amid N.D. flooding
LAMOURE, N.D. - Crews worked in strong winds to reinforce a North Dakota dam spillway that was being eroded by flood waters yesterday, and nearby farms were evacuated as a precaution.
The earthen Cottonwood Creek Dam at Lake LaMoure is about 20 miles from the nearest community and its greatest threat is to farms and roads, said a State Water Commission assistant engineer, Todd Sando. A helicopter from Fargo dropped about 80 one-ton sandbags, and bulldozers pushed rock into the spillway.
"It's stable right now, but it's not under control," Sando said at midafternoon. "Right now, we've got lots of wind that's blowing a lot of water, making big waves. I'd feel a lot better if the wind dies down."
LaMoure County officials asked for help late Saturday after erosion problems worsened on the spillway.
In Jamestown, along the James River, there was some good news yesterday. The Army Corps of Engineers said its updated forecasts showed water would not flow over the spillway at Pipestem Dam north of the city as earlier predicted.
Valley City, about 30 miles from Jamestown, has been battling the Sheyenne River, which overwhelmed its sewer system. Residents in the community of about 7,000 were advised to leave after the system failed Friday.
The National Weather Service said the Sheyenne had dropped just below its record level of 20 feet and was not expected to drop much during the week. 