Fargo Moorhead – groundbreaking flood resilience project

The Fargo-Moorhead P3 floodwater diversion project is the groundbreaking centerpiece of the Fargo-Moorhead Area Diversion and a major climate-mitigation infrastructure project that includes a 30-mile river diversion channel to protect the FM Metro Area from the recurrent floods of the Red River. The diversion channel is a landmark climate change mitigation project, intended to address major floods. Once completed, it will protect more than 235,000 people.

The FM Area Diversion grew out of studies following the historic Red River Flood of 1997, which caused an estimated $3.5 billion in damages.

In addition to the 30-mile channel, the project involves an outlet structure, a long flood protection berm, 2 pairs of interstate bridges, 9 county road bridges, 3 local road bridges, 3 rail bridges, 2 aqueducts, 12 drain inlets, 2 river flow directing structures, an administration complex, mitigation of environmental impacts and access and security features.

COWI, along with HATCH, will lead the final design of the project and will be responsible for all the major design aspects.