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Officials talk snow emergency with FEMA

The regional director for the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Denver, acknowledged the snow emergency in the Minot region this past winter, although there was no promise of federal assistance.

Community leaders discussed the snow emergency with Douglas Gore of FEMA at a flood update meeting in Minot Thursday. FEMA had denied the state's request for disaster assistance because the extended snow emergency wasn't eligible under FEMA's guidelines that are geared toward recovery from a single, major snow event. North Dakota's emergency resulted from a series of storms and blowing snow.

Minot budgeted about $150,000 for snow removal but spent nearly $500,000 in January alone.

Dana Larsen, Ward County engineer, said one unorganized township spent its entire $13,000 budget for the year on snow removal in January. The unorganized township already is at the maximum levy allowed by law without a special vote of its residents, he said.

Gore said FEMA's program has targeted assistance to get emergency snow routes open after a 24- to 72-hour snow event.

"What you are facing in North Dakota is a truly different situation," he said.

The deadline for appeal of FEMA's denial was extended to allow the governor to submit additional information to support the state's position.

Mayor Curt Zimbelman said Minot's concern is the governor requested for aid for expenses in February, March and April. Minot's major snow removal costs came in December and January.

Jill Schramm

The Minot region is braced for the water coming down the Des Lacs and Souris rivers next week, representatives of area communities reported at a meeting Thursday with Sen. Kent Conrad and Congressman Earl Pomeroy, both D-N.D.

Cy Kotaska, Sawyer mayor, said the wild card for flooding in his town is the stretch of river to the southeast of town where the river channel was never straightened and cleared the way it was between Minot and Sawyer years ago.

"I am more concerned about log jams and ice jams down the river system," he said. "That's going to be the big issue. I think the back-up we are going to get is going to hurt us."

Alan Walter, Minot public works director, said Minot has equipment and contractors on standby to break up river jams if there is a threat affecting Minot.

Contractors are to start today to shore up low places on the dikes in Minot to handle up to 7,000 cubic feet per second in the Souris River. That is the upper end of what city officials expect. The work is expected to take a couple of days. The river's crest in Minot is forecast for next Wednesday.

"I really believe we are in pretty good shape," Mayor Curt Zimbelman said. "We are concerned because if we get some rain or if we get really good weather, it creates some problems for us, but our dikes are in really good shape."

The Des Lacs River is expected to crest at about 2 feet above flood stage in Foxholm next Tuesday. Ward County has been placing green markers for landowners and homeowners to give them an indication of flood levels that they might expect. The county is preparing for flood problems just east of Minot in the Eastside Estates and Meadowbrook areas as well.

Jamie Armstrong, Carpio mayor, said little snow remains in and around his community and water is flowing. Velva Mayor Cindy Shattuck said her city is filling sand bags to protect a road from potential high water.

Conrad said his office is available to assist local communities in obtaining any resources they need.

"The eyes of the country have been on North Dakota and they like what they see because what they have seen is this extraordinary community effort. We see it up and down North Dakota, all across the state, and it's certainly true here as well," Conrad said. "In many ways, you have inspired the country."

Pomeroy said he is working to see what individual assistance might be available through the FEMA for flooded homeowners.

"We are looking forward to the next phase the recovery phase recognizing up here, we are very much in the response phase," he said.

John Pietsch, chairman of the Ward County Water Board, said this spring has been an eye-opener for residents who haven't experienced a major flood for a long time.

"When this is said and done, we are going to have to be a lot more vigilant than we have in the past to keep some of these old Corps projects up to par," he said.

He mentioned dams near Burlington that have silted in and an overflow channel near Logan that had a temporary road built across it about 20 years ago. The road never was removed. A contractor this spring took out about five feet of earth that had become hard and difficult to remove, he said.

"These are things we can't allow to happen any more," Pietsch said. The most important thing is that the county learn from the experience "and not be complacent again," he said.

Conrad also urged local officials to consider dike patrols during the river crest and stress urgency with the Corps to fix flood control structures. He proposed a series of flood summits in the state's various river basins once the threats are past.

"We have to seriously review our flood protection all across the state and come up with a plan for going forward," he said.