Solution for perennial Fargo’s Red River flooding in sight, but costly _ and decade away

Fargo’s long-term flood solution: 10 years, $1.3B

FARGO, N.D. — The Red River Valley’s battle with flooding for the second year in a row has intensified the push for a solution that doesn’t rely on thousands of volunteers and millions of sandbags.

Local governments say the best option is a massive 36-mile-long channel. But the project’s $1.3 billion cost and long construction timetable means that spring flooding is likely to remain a headache for a decade.

Before the river crested in Fargo on Sunday, a task force on both sides of the North Dakota-Minnesota border settled on the diversion channel as their preferred solution.

The federal government would cover $565 million of the costs, but the quibbling has already started among state and local officials over who will pay for the rest of the project.