Red River flood season is over

Star Tribune

Last update: May 20, 2009 - 7:01 PM

The Red River flood of 2009 is officially history.

"We made it through to a happy ending," said National Weather Service hydrologist Mike Lukes.

The weather service reported Tuesday that the Red had dropped below flood stage in Fargo and Moorhead last week for the first time in 61 days.

That's the longest siege on record, exceeding the previous record of 54 days, set in 2006.

Fargo and Moorhead residents endured record flooding this spring, but managed to hold back water that would have devastated the communities.

They withstood two separate crests, the first a record 40.82 feet, the second 34 feet.

They're still dismantling the flood defenses in the cities, even as local, state and federal officials work to create permanent flood protection for the biggest population center along the river.

The news is even better downstream. When the river dropped below flood stage at Grand Forks and East Grand Forks on May 14, it was four days shy of the 56-day record set in 1960.

Those cities, protected by massive protective structures erected after the devastating 1997 flood, largely escaped unscathed this year.

Farther downstream, the weather service canceled outright its flood warning for Oslo, Minn.

BOB VON STERNBERG