U.S. Army Corps leaders from across the country tour F-M Diversion Project

The project is designed to mitigate climate change's impact.

HORACE, N.D. (KVRR) — Leaders from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers as well as 42 district commanders and 13 officers came to Horace to get a close look at the F-M Diversion project.

It’s being called a “first in the nation” project for its split delivery construction with one component delivered by the Diversion Authority and one by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

With a $750 million federal cap on spending, officials say are still $170 million under budget because of non-federal sponsors investing in the project.

“We’re taking a project that would have taken the federal government 18 years to build. We’re going to deliver this flood protection in eight years,” said Army Corps Chief Scott Spellmon.

“To be able to innovate, deliver these projects faster, quicker, more efficiently. Save the taxpayer some money and protect the communities sooner than they would otherwise. This is just win, win, win, win. I don’t know if I got enough wins there, there’s probably more. This is just valuable to us to understand everything that went into this project a little more so we can once again export it to other districts and other projects,” said Michael Connor, the Assistant Secretary of The Army for Civil Works.

The project will serve as an example for future Major Corps projects across the country.

In the short term, it will protect thousands of people, their homes and businesses across the F-M region.

“I’m really proud to represent the Corps of Engineers as we deliver for the great citizens of Fargo, West Fargo and Moorhead long-term enduring flood protection that’ll keep these people dry, allow them to build their businesses and their lives here and will help this community thrive and be a shining star in the upper Midwest,” said Col. Eric Swenson of St. Paul District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

The project received more than $430 million in President Biden’s Infrastructure Law and is expected to finish in 2027.