The Red River Flooding in Moorhead, Minnesota and Fargo, North Dakota

It is spring in Minnesota as I write this, and the radio and TV stations are talking about the dangers of flooding along the Red River . The flooding has been particularly bad in the area of Moorhead, Minnesota, and Fargo, North Dakota. The Red River at Fargo threatened to set a new flood stage record of approximately 43 feet. As of this writing, the river has receded some, so the threat is not as bad it was. A recent spell of freezing temperatures has slowed down the spring melting and allowed the level of the river to drop. A recent article on the Toronto Star website reports that the people of Manitoba are working to shore up their area against Red River flooding.

The Red River (specifically, the Red River North) begins at the confluence of the Otter Tail and Bois de Sioux Rivers near Breckenridge, Minnesota. The Red River forms the border between Minnesota and North Dakota, then moves north into Manitoba in Canada. The area that is drained by the Red River North is known commonly as the Red River Valley. [If you have heard of the Red River Valley, but are not familiar with the flooding problems, it may be because of a song associated with the valley. More about that later.]

According to a report from Reuters, the flooding could affect the seeding of spring wheat in as many as 500,000 acres in North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, and Montana.

Rather than concentrate on this year's flood-a flood which could break records going back a century-this article attempts to put some perspective on the problem. An online article from North Dakota State University notes that in recent years, the Red River has reached flood stage at least once a year. Since 1993, the beginning of a particularly wet climate cycle, the flooding has tended to be more catastrophic than in previous years. The article lists several reasons for the persistent flooding of the Red River.

The two most important reasons are related to the fact that the Red River flows northward. First, since spring thaws proceed from the south, waters from the south join with waters from the north, creating the potential for disastrous floods. Second, broken ice from the south reaches of the river meet broken ice in the north, with the result that the flow of water is slowed or stopped, causing the river to overflow its banks. Again, disastrous floods can result.

For many people, the Red River Valley is famous not because of the frequent flooding, but because of the song, "The Red River Valley." The song, whose origin is uncertain, probably dates from 1870 or so, and begins with the words, "From this valley they say you are leaving," and ends with "Just remember the Red River Valley and the one who has loved you so true." The song has been recorded and sung by several famous performers, including Woody Guthrie, Johnny Cash, and Garrison Keillor. It has also been used in numerous films, notably The Grapes of Wrath. The song apparently conveys the sadness of a woman as her lover prepares to leave Manitoba to return to Ontario. Wikipedia has a helpful article on the song.

Sources:

www.thestar.com/news/world/article/610102
www.reuters.com/article/domesticNews/idUSTRE52P7SF20090327
www.ndsu.edu/fargo_geology/fargoflood.htm
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_River_Valley_(song)