10 years ago: Even 'normal'
wasn't good news
The Red River flood outlook looked so grim 10 years ago this week that the National Weather Service issued its outlook two weeks earlier than normal, just to give communities more time to prepare.
Under normal conditions, the Red was likely to crest at about 49 feet in Grand Forks, eclipsing the 1979 flood crest of 48.8 feet - the century's highest, the weather service said.
With no more precipitation, its report said, the Red likely would crest at about 47 feet. But already, up to 5 inches of snow were forecast for parts of the southern valley.
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"It's likely we will be adjusting as we go," weather service hydrologist Wendy Pearson said.
Grand Forks and East Grand Forks officials, saying their cities were in better shape than in '79, talked about adding an additional 2 to 3 feet of freeboard on top of existing dikes to provide more protection, using clay instead of sandbags whenever possible.
- Mike Brue
