Cass County spring melt flooding: Lower than expected water levels reported
Fargo, North Dakota – A comprehensive analysis of the flooding during the 2023 spring melt in Cass County has recently been conducted, revealing a less severe impact than initially anticipated.
During a meeting with the Cass County Commission, it was reported that water levels remained lower than expected throughout the region, which can be attributed to colder than average temperatures and below-average precipitation.
According to Cass County Engineer Jason Benson, these conditions resulted in the Red River in Fargo cresting at 29.7 feet, rather than the expected 37.8 feet. Similarly, the Wild Rice at Abercrombie reached 18.4 feet instead of the projected 24.0 feet, the Sheyenne River at Kindred crested at 19.9 feet compared to the anticipated 21.2 feet, the Red River at Harwood peaked at 90.3 feet as opposed to 92.1 feet, and the Maple River at Mapleton reached 23.2 feet, exceeding the expected 22.3 feet.
Although water levels were generally lower than predicted, some road closures and minor damage were still reported in areas where flooding occurred.