Dike-building preparations intensified with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in Grand Forks and East Grand Forks 10 years ago this week.
Bulldozers cleared snow from East Grand Forks' clay "borrow pit," and crews prepared to raise Timberline Court dikes by 6 feet. East Grand Forks-based Zavoral and Sons was tapped by to haul clay for East Grand Forks dikes. Sen. Paul Wellstone, D-Minn., also was in town to review flood plans with city leaders.In Grand Forks, stacking of more than 400,000 sandbags was expected to start soon to raise dike elevations at Central, Lincoln and Riverside parks. The city considered clay-moving bids from three contractors while planning to clear snow out of the English Coulee and other drainage paths.
Plans included a clay dike near Belmont Road and 15th Avenue South, plus a new temporary dike from Central Park north to Gateway Drive to protect downtown. A north-end dike at Alpha Avenue and Red Dot Place also was scheduled.
