America's North Shore Journal

Here are some new items that may be of interest as you follow the flooding on the Red River.

Oakport Township Tested by Fire

While the nation anxiously waited for the Red River to crest in Fargo, small towns like Oakport Township on the outskirts of Fargo were already dealing with their own devastating flooding. And in Oakport’s case, fire.

The house fire added another tragic dimension to the situation in Oakport Township. Giant flames ate a huge gash through the roof as black smoke soared into the sky, all while a line of sandbags surrounded the base of the home.

Clay County Emergency Operations Center spokesman Dan Olson said fire crews couldn’t get closer than 200 feet from the home in Oakport Township because the area around it was so flooded.

The cause of the fire isn’t known, but township officials have been telling residents who are evacuating to shut off gas and electricity before leaving their homes. No injuries were reported.

Sgt. Ryan Alderman of the Clay County Sheriff’s Department said authorities had rescued more than 120 people by boat in Oakport Township since Thursday night. About half of the rescued people called officials and requested help, while the others waved down boats while they were on patrol in the town of about 1,600 people.

Garrison Dam has resumed water releases

North Dakota’s Garrison Dam has resumed water releases, which should bolster Washburn’s drinking water supplies and help restart two power plants, an Army Corps of Engineers spokesman says.

The dam ceased releasing water at midafternoon Tuesday to help relieve flooding problems downstream at Bismarck.

That flooding had eased by late Thursday, when the dam began releasing 3,000 cubic feet of water per second. It was releasing 9,000 cubic feet per second by Friday afternoon, corps spokesman Paul Johnston said. The flow should be enough to bring the river’s level back up to the intake pipes at Washburn’s water treatment plant, he said.

The increased water supply also should help the Stanton and Leland Olds electric power plants resume their operations, Johnston said.