New flood control system a success during recent Red River flood in East Grand Forks

PR Web: The flood control system established in East Grand Forks after the devastating 1997 Red River flood was put to the test this weekend when the Red River crested at 49.85 feet – and passed with flying colors.

“Some of the closures had two to three-and-a-half feet of water against them,” said Scott Gravseth, Distribution Superintendent at East Grand Forks Water and Light. “Overall we observed good performance with minimal seepage.”

The city installed the Invisible Flood Control Wall (IFCW) in response to the 1997 flood in which the sandbags and levees didn’t hold, submerging Main Street in four feet of water and causing an estimated $500 million in damage. City officials said they opted for the IFCW to preserve the aesthetics of the community, since it is only erected in the event of a flood. The main section of the IFCW that runs along the river in front of the Blue Moose Bar and Grill, Applebee’s, and Cabela’s, was installed in under 8 hours.

“Obviously, we’re very proud to have helped protect the great city of East Grand Forks,” said John Fryklund, Director of Marketing for Flood Control America, which is the manufacturer and distributor of the IFCW. “And the city of East Grand Forks can be proud to be protected by a system manufactured entirely in the United States by American workers.”…

U.S. Air Force personnel pile sandbags as citizens of the Grand Forks North Dakota community build a dike to hold back the rising Red River on April 17, 1997. Members of the 911th Air Refueling Squadron stationed at nearby Grand Forks Air Force Base are joining their community in the fight against the flood waters. DoD photo by Staff Sgt. Charles Morris, U.S. Air Force