Driving Through Floods in North Dakota
Having left the good weather behind, we weren’t inclined to dawdle, so we made it to Fargo, North Dakota in a day and a half. We’d heard forecasts that Fargo would be hard hit by floods this year and that levels might exceed 1997 records. We’d read that the crest in Fargo was to occur tomorrow, however every time we stopped to check the news, the highways remained open, so we trudged on.
As we approached Fargo, evidence of the impending flood was everywhere. Most of the fields were hidden under ice and water. A few sheds and barns looked ready to float away and farm machinery had been relocated on higher ground. The water had risen above the highway in some spots and every bridge we crossed was at its maximum capacity, with the water levels reaching its underside. In Fargo itself, work crews were busy constructing dikes and retaining walls.
Shortly after passing through Fargo, we encountered police cars stopped on the highway where the flooding was now well over the highway. We stopped, but they waved us on. We nervously drove through a good foot of water for ½ a kilometre or so, feeling a bit lost with nothing but water all around us.
We arrived in Grand Forks that evening and found out they’d closed the highway shortly after we’d driven though. I’d say that was pretty good timing.
