Group seeks to speed Maple River Dam work
By Deneen Gilmour
The Forum
A group of rural homeowners is asking the Cass County Commission to hasten progress on the Maple River Dam to alleviate flooding between West Fargo and Harwood.

The Lower Sheyenne Flood Victims Association appealed to commissioners Monday to consider actions they say could lessen the severity and duration of floods. Besides building the Maple River Dam near Enderlin, N.D., other key suggestions are:

EEncourage the federal government to increase storage capacity behind Baldhill Dam near Valley City, N.D.

EPush for better management of Lake Traverse and Baldhill Dam.

ESupport a new international coalition studying modern floods in the Red River basin.

EAsk for control structures that prevent Devils Lake overflow from worsening rural Cass County flooding along the Sheyenne River.

EModify county roads 17 and 20, and install more culverts so the roads don’t act as dams during periods of high water.

The association represents 50 to 75 rural homeowners who’ve been flooded three of the past four years. Recent floods have lasted weeks and even months because of Baldhill Dam releases and the larger Red River impeding the Sheyenne’s flow.

"This is the start of the fourth week our roads have been under water," said association president Leroy Johnson. "They’re going to pot. Most of us have access to our homes only by boat or tractor."

Clayton Brennan and Patrick Denny of Sunrise Acres alerted the commission to two dangers caused by flooding: raw sewage floating through rural subdivisions and children standing on the one passable lane of County Road 17 as they wait for the school bus.

Commission Chairman Al Wieland said he’d contact West Fargo school leaders to see if they can devise a safer place for children to wait for the bus. And he asked Fargo Cass Public Health to immediately check into the sewage concern.

As for long-term solutions, Wieland promised cooperation on some requests and consideration of others.

"I personally support the Maple River Dam," Wieland said. "We’re waiting for a permit to build it. It’s not the solution. But it’s part of the solution. And we do need a basinwide study because Devils Lake water is going to come, some time or another. All that water comes down through that narrow little channel we know as the Sheyenne.

"For a long time I didn’t hear a lot of support for the Maple River Dam. We’ve had several groups in here who oppose it. But this is the first time we’ve had people in here who support it. Our sympathies go out to all of you who have suffered."

"My heart goes out to you," said Commissioner Roberta Quick. "I hope that as a commission we can find solutions to help you all. It’s been a hard time for a lot of people in our area but you’ve probably hard the hardest time of all."