Beth and the Flooding

Beth

Hope you and your family are ok with the flooding thats going on in your area.

Try to keep us posted that your ok.

Stay safe and dry

Take care
Ray

Hi Ray,

Thanks for letting me know about this, I had no idea it was happening! I might phone her later today and see how she is going.

Beth,

If you see this before I get a chance to phone you I hope you are all okay. Please take care and stay safe.

Love and Hugs
xxxMaz

Maz

Your wellcome, thats what families for

Ray

Thank you so much for your concern! This is part of the reason you are all so important to me

As we live 26 miles southwest of Fargo/Moorhead, those of us here in Barnesville, Minnesota, are safe and dry. Most of the surrounding area schools have cancelled classes all week, so my oldest son, Ian (16) has been sandbagging with 60 to 90 of his classmates the last few days. They are having buses pick up students at high schools and at the universities to help. The National Guard is here assisting, as well. I wish I could help but they appear to have enough stores donating and fixing food and drinks for the volunteers and I don't think I'd be much good at lifting or even tying up the sandbags

Unfortunately, we have had a snowstorm that dropped a lot of snow, which means more water runoff into the Red River and it's many tributaries: Sheyenne, Wild Rice, Buffalo, etc. Frozen sandbags do not form well and tend to leak, which is another concern.

Much of the flooding closer to us is "overland" flooding that is filling up the farmer's fields and washes out roads. We have been trying not to travel too much as we have to check road conditions to insure they are open before we travel, and we don't want to get in the way of the National Guard convoys and trucks and machinery that are building the temporary levees.

I witnessed the devastation of the 1997 flood and lived closer to the river at that time, but the magnitude of this flood has the Mayor of Fargo setting up evacuation plans for the city. It is very frightening and heart wrenching to watch people trying so desperately to save their homes, just to have to leave them to the floodwaters at the last minute.

The spirit of community here in the Red River Valley and the way everyone comes together to help each other is why I put up with the freezing cold winters. Please send all of your prayers and good thoughts this direction. I'll keep you up-to-date.

Just a side note: A got a phone call from Joan Pendleton, the Walk Manager for the Lupus Foundation of America today regarding my Walk for Lupus team. I was pleasantly surprised and very impressed!

Hugs,
Beth

Hi Beth,

I'll keep you, your family and community in my prayers. Stay safe!!

Hi Beth,

I too have you, your family and community in my thoughts and prayers! I live in Texas and we received some pretty heavy rain and hail here today, I believe the bulk of it was coming from your area.

Take care
Melissa

Hi Beth:

Ditto on what everyone above has said. I will keep everyone in your area in my prayers, as well.

Good Luck and keep us posted.

Thanks everyone! It looks like the Red River is going to hit a new record flood water height by Saturday. Even worse than 1997, but the city, Nat'l Guard & volunteers expected this and have built the dikes up an extra foot or so.

The difficult thing right now is getting enough volunteers as the temp is only 28 degrees F right now. It was 15 degrees when my 16-yr old son left this morning, with his classmates, to help sandbag again.

Fortunately I asked for today and tomorrow as vacation days....way before the flood...and although the scrapbooking retreat I was going to was cancelled due to the emergency, I decided to stay home anyway so that there was less traffic for the truck and equipment convoys to contend with. It was 1-lane, bumper-to-bumper yesterday afternoon when I went into Fargo for a doctor appt. The local police & state highway departments have been doing what they can to escort the equipment through and the Humane Society has set up temporary animal shelter & care at the indoor fairground complex so that people that need to evacuate can know their pets are OK.

Hugs,
Beth

Hi Beth,

Please stay safe, I am thinking of you and your Family way down here and I don't do much praying but I have said one for you! I did try to call yesterday afternoon but could not get through I will try again today.

Take Care
Love and Hugs
xxxMaz

Hi Beth, I am keeping you in my prayers. Stay safe and warm over there. Thanks for keeping us updated.

Monica

Thank you! I am trying desparately to figure out how I can volunteer....if I can get into Fargo, through the bumper-to-bumper traffic (volunteers, trucks, Nat'l Guard going in & evacuees coming out)...I will go to the local fairgrounds where the Humane Society is keeping peoples' animals safe. I trained with EARS (Emergency Animal Rescue Services) about 5 years ago and will do what I can....that is if I can get into town.

Some of the levees have started to give way and parts of the neighboring city of Moorhead are currently being evacuated. But everything has been wonderfully coordinated.

Maz: Jim was probably talking with his son, John. John has been calling about a million times a day for updates! But we are fine...although my heart is breaking for all of those families not as fortunate. Ian is so wiped out from sandbagging he came home and went straight to bed.

Hugs,
Beth

Anyone heard from Beth at all???

Monica

Hi Monica,

I had an email from her yesterday, she said all was ok. It sounds pretty bad though, I really feel for all those who are affected.

Take Care
Love and Hugs
xxxMaz

Maz

Thanks for the info Glad she and her family are ok!!

Ray

Hello everyone! Thanks for your concern. Things are starting to get back to normal. The river levels are starting to drop, although we had a spring blizzard that dropped a lot of snow on the area the last few days which equals more water runoff into the rivers. I am finally back at work. Fortunately I am able to work remotely from home, so I didn't lose any time. I was actually able to work a little OT, as well.

I am amazed at the way our city leaders and the entire community saved this area from what could have been a very catasrophic flood. The area is still not back to normal nor are we in the clear yet, as the river could crest again in April, but it just feels good to get back in the office, to see traffic moving at normal speeds and to see all of the shops and clinics open again.

Hugs,
Beth

The new word here in Fargo/Moorhead is that we did pretty good at kicking the river's butt with the sandbagging efforts! The sandbagged dikes and contingency dirt dikes will remain until later in April as it is very possible for the river levels to increase again in mid-April. They have cleared the contingency dikes from many roadways so traffic can get through, but they can still move them back into place quickly if need be.

Soon the flooding will be at the door of our neighbors to the north: Grand Forks, North Dakota, and Winnipeg, Saskatchewan, Canada.

Hugs,
Beth

Hi Beth,

Thanks - that is wonderful news!!

Beth

I'm glad things turned out ok!!

Ray

Hi Beth and best wishes!

On the other side of the world here and close to home, the same thing's been happening - so it's all a little scary!

I'm not sure if 'a little bit of' Nick Cave would take your mind off things when the rivers are flowing!

As always, Geoff

I agree Geoff! You might want to listen to something a bit cheerier!

Stay safe!

Hugs,
Beth