LaMOURE, N.D. — Crews worked in strong winds to reinforce a southeastern North Dakota dam spillway that was being eroded by floodwaters Sunday, and nearby farms were evacuated as a precaution.
The earthen Cottonwood Creek Dam at Lake LaMoure is about 20 miles from the nearest community and its greatest threat is to farms and roads, State Water Commission assistant engineer Todd Sando said. A Black Hawk helicopter from Fargo dropped about 80 1-ton sandbags, and bulldozers pushed rock into the spillway.
"It’s stable right now but it’s not under control,” Sando said.
LaMoure County officials asked for help late Saturday after erosion problems worsened on the spillway, a channel to handle an emergency volume of water on a tributary of the James River.
Valley City has been battling the Sheyenne River, which overwhelmed its sewer system. Residents in the community of about 7,000 were advised to leave after the system failed Friday
by the associated press
AdBrite
AdBrite
