State official urges Crookston residents to get flood insurance
The sooner, the better because of 30 day validity rule
By Ryan Bakken
Herald Staff Writer
CROOKSTON -- Eighty percent of this town of 8,000 is protected to a 100-year flood, with the remaining sliver scheduled to be equally secure by the end of 2012.
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Richard Rock, city fire chief and flood coordinator, said he's confident the remaining piece can be protected in an emergency "with one day of sandbagging."
Despite that significant improvement in flood outlook from eight years ago, Crookston was chosen as a site to tout the benefits of buying flood insurance. And, buying it soon.
Mike Rothman, Minnesota Department of Commerce commissioner, also traveled to Moorhead to warn outstate Minnesotans that 100-year protection is no guarantee. Crookston Mayor Dave Genereux agreed, adding, "We have levees everywhere here, but people need to be aware that levees can fail."
Rothman urged quick action, since it takes 30 days from purchase date before the insurance is valid. Last year, Crookston's crest came in the second week of March.
Yet, the 1997 historic-high crest came on April 20. Such is the uncertainty of Crookston flooding, Rock said.
"It seems like we're a fish bowl when we get quick snow melt or heavy rains," he said. "The river can raise 7 feet quickly with a 3-4 inch rain and ice jams can mean a rapid 2-4 foot rise to make things precarious. It's amazing how the river fluctuates."
Wayne Melbye, a veteran City Council member, encouraged buying flood insurance even by those who aren't required to do so. He said the flood insurance premium on a $100,000 home dropped from $900 to $300 with a certified dike.
One neighborhood left to protect
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Crookston's protection has come a long way since 2004, when the first permanent protection was put in place.
Projects protecting the Woods, Chase-Loring and Sampson additions have been done. Only 183 homes in Jerome's Addition and 12 others in two small areas, remain unprotected permanently.
Work in Jerome's Addition will start soon after the May deadline for demolishing the former hockey arena, which stands in the dike's path. The homes on the river side of Bridge Street have been bought out and will be removed, making room for an earthen dike. The authorization of additional funding is all that remains to complete the project in 2012.
Crookston's flood protection projects have been done piecemeal because of the circuitous, meandering route the Red Lake River takes through town. The river creates distinct neighborhoods, as opposed to the south-to-north route of the Red River through Grand Forks and East Grand Forks.
When the projects are done, 105 homes will have been removed to make room for the protection. Housing developments on Crookston's north end -- the high ground -- have offset those losses, said Mike MacDonald, the city's flood coordinator.
"Dikes establish physical protection, keeping water out of your living room," MacDonald said. "The other part of it is that the government limits construction in flood plains. So if you remain in the flood plain, you're guaranteed to eventually lose your home, through fire, wind, fire or simple degradation.
"So, either way, if you take away flood protection, you lose your town."
Reach Bakken at (701) 780-1125; (800) 477-6572, ext. 125; or send e-mail to rbakken@gfherald.com .
