View of East Grand U.S. Geological Survey employees transported by National Diked homes at Grand Forks, N. Dak., during Red River Forks, Minn., during 1897 Guard personnel to site on Sorlie Bridge between Grand Forks, 2006 flood, spring 1997 Red River flood of N. Dak., and East Grand Forks, Minn., during Red River flood 1897. Center span of of 1997 Northern Pacific 1997 A historyof Flooding Railroad bridge pivoted horizontally 1997 to allow ice to flow past. Engines are in the Red River Basin parked on stationary 1969 spans to weigh down bridge

Flooded street in Valley City, N. Dak., during Viking Bridge Major Red River of the North Sheyenne River flood in 1930s 1930s in Valley City, Pembina River (Red River) Floods (Photo from Barnes County Historical Society) N. Dak., during Tongue River Pembina, N. Dak. Sheyenne River Branch 1700s Large flood in 1776 according to North Branch flood of 1969, at Two Rivers South anecdotal accounts; floods in gage height of Canada, especially in 1747 and 17.63 feet Roseau, Minn. 1762, substantiated by tree-ring Park River Roseau River (Photo from Barnes Drayton, N. Dak. evidence. County Historical Grafton, N. Dak. Obelisk standing in 2006 Red Society) Snake River River floodwaters at Grand Forks, 1826 Flood of record in Canada that Forest River Factors contributing to flooding in the Red N. Dak., showing flood peak destroyed settlements. River Basin: Turtle River elevations for other significant 1882 Large flood at Fargo, N. Dak./ Middle River Red River floods Landform factors Moorhead, Minn., and Grand Forks, Oslo, Minn. N. Dak./East Grand Forks, Minn. Grand Forks, N. Dak./ A relatively shallow and meandering river channel– East Grand Forks, Minn. a shallow channel holds less water and the 1897 Largest flood on record at Fargo. Valley City Upper Red Lake meandering can cause flow to slow down as the Thompson, N. Dak. 1916 Large flood in Fargo and on Lower Red Lake channel makes its turns, causing overbank flooding. upstream reaches; sizeable flood in Red Lake River A gentle slope (averaging 0.5 to 1.5 feet per mile) Canada. Crookston, Minn. that inhibits channel flow and encourages Goose River 1943 Large flood in Fargo/Moorhead; in overland flooding or water “ponding” (especially an 11-day period, the Red River 1979 on even, saturated ground) in the basin. rose about 23 feet; St. John's Crookston Mayor Oppegaarde and Governor Youngdahl Halstad, Minn. The northerly direction of flow–flow in the hospital was engulfed and 270 Dike construction to protect home from view Red Lake River flood at Crookston, Minn., in 1950 Red River travels from south (upstream) to north families were forced from their floodwaters during Sheyenne River Ada, Minn. (Photo from Minnesota State Historical Society) Wild Rice River (downstream). The direction of flow becomes a homes. flood of 1979 River critical factor in the spring when the southern (Photo from Barnes County 1950 Flood that caused most severe Historical Society) Rush River (upstream) part of the Red River has thawed and damage ever sustained up to this 1950 the northern (downstream) part of the channel is point--extended time for flooding; still frozen. As water moves north toward the still major disaster in Winnipeg with Maple River Buffalo River frozen river channel, ice jams and substantial one-third of city evacuated. backwater flow and flooding can occur. N River 1965 Widespread flooding caused by Fargo, N. Dak./ heavy rain on frozen ground. Sheyenne Moorhead, Minn. Weather factors W E 1966 Severe flooding from United Spring (snowmelt) floods Hickson, N. Dak. States/Canada border to Winnipeg. S Above-normal amounts of precipitation in the fall 1969 Maximum discharge recorded on the of the year that produce high levels of soil Red Red River at Fargo/Moorhead and moisture, particularly in flat surface areas, in the

Wahpeton, N. Dak./Breckenridge, Wild Rice River basin. Minn., and in some areas on the The Ada Public Library in Ada, Freezing of saturated ground in late fall or early Sheyenne River to this date; first Minn., lost its entire collection winter, before significant snowfall occurs, that flood to be diverted around to the Wild Rice River flood of 1997 produces a hard, deep frost that limits infiltration Winnipeg by Red River floodway. Wahpeton, N. Dak./ (Photo from Norman County Index) of runoff during snowmelt. Breckenridge, Minn. River 1975 Flood that included two peaks, in Above-normal winter snowfall in the basin. spring and summer. River Otter Tail Above-normal precipitation during snowmelt. 1979 Second largest flood after 1897 (to 1997 Above-normal temperatures during snowmelt. this date) at Grand Forks and in Sioux Canada. De Summer floods 1989 Flood that severely damaged the Bois Above-normal or intense precipitation in the same cities of Wahpeton and area over a short duration from May through Breckenridge. October. THREE-DIMENSIONAL PERSPECTIVE OF THE 1993 Summer flood caused by a series of Saturated ground causing more runoff. RED RIVER OF THE NORTH BASIN IN THE UNITED STATES Headwaters of Red River intense thunderstorms at various Limited vegetative cover leading to less absorption locations throughout the basin. in Breckenridge, Minn., Corner of Fifth Street and Hill Elevation (feet) during spring 2001 Avenue in Grafton, N. Dak., of water and more runoff. 1997 Major flooding in United States and 1897 High : 2,000 USGS gaging station at during Park River flood of Landform factors, combined with any or all of the Canada; largest recorded flood in 1950 2001 Grand Forks/East Grand Forks; or near town indicated weather factors, determine the severity of flooding. second largest in Fargo/Moorhead Wooden blocks that 2001 For example, below-normal fall precipitation and Wahpeton/Breckenridge. once paved the streets of City combined with above-normal winter snowfall, above- Fargo, N. Dak., piled up Low : 750 USGS personnel measuring normal temperatures during snowmelt, and above- 2001 Significant flooding caused by 1950 1950 during Red River flood of flood overflow at bridge on normal precipitation during snowmelt can lead to heavy rains on frozen ground in 1897 The basin image is tilted to create three-dimensional perspective. Red River east of Thompson, significant flooding. In contrast, below-normal fall addition to above-average snowfall. This distorts distances, causing the southern end of the basin to be N. Dak., during Red River (Photo from Institute for Regional stretched and the northern end of the basin to be compressed. precipitation combined with above-normal winter 2002 June flooding in northwestern Studies, North Dakota State flood of 2001 snowfall, below normal temperatures during Minnesota, especially in Roseau, University, Fargo 2006.83.19) snowmelt, and little precipitation during snowmelt Minn., and northeastern North Red Owl Super Market in may cause only minimal flooding. Most of the Dakota caused by intense rainfall. flooded area of Fargo, catastrophic floods that occurred in the Red River 2006 Spring flooding throughout basin; N. Dak., during Red River Basin were caused by a combination of landform most cities well prepared because of flood of 1943 Aerial south-facing factors, and most or all of the weather factors affected improvements made since 1997. (Photo from State Historical Society (downstream) view of Red the magnitude of those floods. of North Dakota 0378-015) 1943 River south of Drayton, N. Dak., during flood of 1950 (Photo from Elwyn B. Robinson 140,000 ANNUAL PEAK STREAMFLOW Department of Special Collections, Chester 1997 140,000 Grand Forks, N. Dak./East Grand Forks, Minn. Fritz Library, University of North Dakota) 120,000 Fargo, N. Dak./Moorhead, Minn. 120,000

100,000 Man rowing boat in Moorhead, 100,000 1897 Minn., during Red River flood of 1979 80,000 1897 80,000 1882 2006 (Photo from Institute for Regional Studies, North 2001 60,000 1897 Dakota State University, Fargo 328.2.14) 1950 1965 1966 1969 60,000 1975 1989 2002 40,000 40,000 1916 1943 1993

20,000 20,000

STREAMFLOW, IN CUBIC FEET PER SECOND 0 0

Sources of Information: Compiled by Karen R. Ryberg, Kathleen M. Macek-Rowland, Tara A. Banse, and Gregg J. Wiche Edited by Cathy R. Martin North Dakota State Water Commission Web Site -- http://swc.nd.gov/ Design and layout by Tara A. Banse Red River Watershed Management Board Web Site -- http://www.rrwmb.org/ Base map, including a three-dimensional perspective of elevation data from U.S. Geological Survey EROS U.S. Geological Survey Minnesota Water Science Center Web Site -- http://mn.water.usgs.gov The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), one of the principal Federal agencies responsible for the collection and interpretation of water-resources data, works with other Federal, State, local, tribal, and academic entities to Data Center National Elevation Dataset (1999), created by Chris D. Laveau and James C. Lindstrom U.S. Geological Survey North Dakota Water Science Center Web Site -- http://nd.water.usgs.gov ensure that accurate and timely data are available for making decisions regarding public welfare and property during natural disasters and to increase public awareness of the hazards that occur with such disasters. Any use of trade, product, or firm names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.

General Information Product 55 U.S. Department of the Interior Printed on recycled paper U.S. Geological Survey September 2007