Cass County first responders preparing for moderate to severe flooding conditions along Red River

(Cass County, ND) -- Several experts in our region are expecting moderate to severe flood conditions in communities surrounding the Red River and its tributaries.

Areas impacted include Fargo and Moorhead, but also towns like Harwood, Kindred, and Davenport. In response to conditional simulation reports released from the National Weather Service showing a high chances for moderate to major flooding north of Fargo (90% likelihood), Hillsboro (60% likelihood), and Grand Forks (34% likelihood), several local entities are beginning preparations to help communities that are likely to see impacts.

"We really want to make sure that our residents know that they can count on us if they need something and they should certainly call and not hesitate so we can help them in whatever situation they might encounter, "said Cass County Sheriff Jesse Jahner.

This event also has the potential to cause overland flooding in the Red River Valley. However, this highly depends on the intensity of the spring melt and other weather conditions.

"Just looking at some aerial photos, its almost a three mile wide - ten mile [long] lake that forms, "said Cass County Engineer Jason Benson, speaking on previous flood events that have crested the river in the past, "There is a lot of water. In some cases there is only six inches of water in the field, and in other cases its three, four, five feet of water out in the fields."

Several meetings will take place in our region to prepare for the conditions expected in the coming months. You can learn more about the flood information meetings by clicking here.