A revised flood forecast issued Thursday predicts the Red River in Grand Forks-East Grand Forks will surpass flood stage of 28 feet on Saturday, according to the National Weather Service website.
As of Thursday evening, the Red in Grand Forks was at 21.87 feet.
The Red should reach 32.5 feet by Tuesday, Election Day, according to the weather service's seven-day outlook. The weather service said the recent storm and heavy rains are causing the Red and its tributaries to rise; on Tuesday, Grand Forks set the unofficial record for the date with 1.14 inches of rain. A large swath of the area adjacent to the Red remains in a flood warning, the weather service said.
City crews in Grand Forks and East Grand Forks generally don't take any action until the river reaches about 38 feet.
The city of Grand Forks said Thursday that some lower level trails of the Greenway may be closed because of the rising water.
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In Fargo, the river hit flood stage of 18 feet at about 7 p.m., according to the website. It is expected to rise to 20.5 feet by Monday before falling. Also, the Red at the Thompson Bridge south of Grand Forks was at 29.21 feet Thursday evening.
In Oslo to the north, the Red is expected to reach moderate flood stage of 30 feet by Tuesday. The Red was at 17.59 feet Thursday evening and is expected to pass the minor flood stage of 26 feet on Saturday.
The Red Lake River in Crookston passed flood stage of 15 feet Thursday afternoon. It is expected to rise to 17.5 feet by tonight before falling. At 18 feet, city crews generally maintain 24-hour shifts to pump water over closed storm gates, the website said.
