Red River Watershed Management Board looks for project funding

The Red River Watershed Management Board and other groups gather to push funding for farmers, flooding prevention plans and water conservation projects.

MOORHEAD, Minn. (KVRR) – The Red River Watershed Management Board and other groups gather to push funding for farmers, flooding prevention plans and water conservation projects.

“We have about nine or 10 flood projects that we’re working on, and, so, we’re looking at about $47 million from the state of Minnesota Flood Hazard Mitigation Program,” Red River Watershed Management Board Member Rob Sip said.

These flood hazard and water conservation projects would help with drainage and water conservation.

“The Bois de Sioux Watershed District owned by Wheaton, they’re working on the Redpath Impoundment Project. Hallock there is the Klondike Clean Water Retention Project and the Roseau River Watershed District is working on the Roseau Lake Project and also the Whitney Flood Project,” Sip said.

Experts say rural areas are usually hit harder with flooding due to a lack of drainage systems, but In 2021 farmers experienced a drought.

“We had dirty snow this winter. We had a lot of blizzards. In fact, we had very windy conditions. All of the snow that was falling was moving back and forth a lot of dirt mixing in with it. The advantage is once the sun breaks out, once it starts to warm up, that actually melts more quickly,” Grand Forks National Weather Service Warning Coordination Meteorologist Greg Gust said.

Some roads have been damaged by the runoff water, but weather experts say flooding hasn’t been extreme because multiple storms have missed us. But any extensive rain over the next few months could be damaging to crops.

“The relatively dry soils have managed to capture a lot of the runoff,” Gust said.

“Right now we’re getting into spring. There could very well be too much water to get the crops into the ground and to do what they need to do on the farm, but turn around in August and we may very well be back where we were last year,” Minnesota State Conservationist Troy Daniels said.

Drainage water management and soil health will be key for crops and food supplies.

“Farmers should be at the top of everyone’s mind this year when it comes to their everyday lives,” Daniels said.