Campus Dakota: Fargo/Moorhead Flood Coverage

[Campus Dakota]

At Campus Dakota we will be following and keeping you updated on the anticipated record setting 2011 Fargo/Moorhead Flood.  Be sure to stop back and watch for news, updates, and how you can help out.  You can also find updates via our Facebook and Twitter pages.


Useful Links:
Fargo Flood Information Website
Sandbag Central Volunteer Status
Moorhead Flood Information Website
Fargo Forum Flood Coverage

NDSU prepares for flood fight
Published: 14 February 2011 03:04 PM

North Dakota State University is, once again, joining the fight as Fargo-Moorhead prepares for an anticipated 2011 spring flood.

NDSU President Dean L. Bresciani and Fargo Mayor Dennis Walaker held a news conference Feb. 14 to discuss flood-fighting efforts on the part of the university. According to Bresciani, NDSU student groups are organizing to help fill sandbags during the next two to three weeks, and staff and faculty also will work many hours to assist the goal of stockpiling three million sandbags in anticipation of high water.

"NDSU historically has had a key role in preparing for and fighting flood conditions in this area in supporting the community. We're very proud to be a part of that community, and we're very proud of the participation and contribution our campus family makes to that effort," said Bresciani, noting the university has always stepped up to help in times of need. "Students, faculty and staff commit hundreds and hundreds of hours, collectively, to supporting our community against flood conditions."

Bresciani said NDSU students, faculty and staff can have a major impact on the success of a flood fight, and he issued a challenge to students.

"I'd like to see who amongst our athletes, residence halls, student organizations and Greek chapters contributes the most to this incredible and important community effort," Bresciani said. "The chapter, organization or group that does so is going to get an all-expense paid lunch at the President's House as a reward and recognition of their contribution."

Walaker said it is too early in the process to make predictions about how high the Red River might rise. But, he said a major task lies ahead because the city has 58 miles to protect with dikes and sandbags. He said the city hopes to fill 100,000 to 150,000 sandbags per day for the next three weeks.

"We do depend on the university," Walaker said. "We have to prepare for a record flood. We haven't had any significant snowfall in about five weeks - we are planning for the worst and hoping for the best."

All NDSU volunteers are asked to check in at the Memorial Union near the Bison Connection counter. Sandbagging is taking place 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., with transportation provided at 15-minute intervals, to and from the west door of the Memorial Union.

"We can't do it without the help of volunteers," Walaker said. "One of the things about this community is the ability to respond when they see the need. So, thank you very much."

Last year, NDSU Theta Chi Fraternity won one of the Denny's Bucks for Bags awards for 384 hours of sandbagging, and, in turn, donated the prize to the YWCA of Cass-Clay.

News source: http://www.ndsu.edu/news/view/article/10574/

[Campus Dakota]

Bison Sandbagging Day
Monday, February 21, 2011 - 8:00am - 8:00pm

 
Monday is SANDBAGGING DAY!!

Lets bring as many Bison as we can to help our community! Meet anytime you want between 8:00am to 8:00pm at the memorial union and sign-up at the flood volunteer station in Bison connection.

After you sign in we will load the buses at the West entrance, which run every fifteen minutes.

Please dress warm and let's show Fargo/Moorhead how much we care!

P.S. Invite your Friends!!!
 
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=136896686376010

[Campus Dakota]

Be sure to check out NDSU's SU TV News coverage of the flood:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rRGmCP3o9Sk[/youtube]

[pmp6nl]

Sandbag Central needs help this weekend
After a successful start at Fargo’s Sandbag Central this week, officials hope volunteer turnout doesn’t diminish today.
By: Kristen Daum, INFORUM

After a successful start at Fargo’s Sandbag Central this week, officials hope volunteer turnout doesn’t diminish today.

Five days in, volunteers had filled about 518,000 sandbags total, as of Friday night.

That’s on pace with the goal to fill 100,000 sandbags a day toward reaching a total of 3 million sandbags for this year’s spring flood fight.

Volunteers flocked to Sandbag Central at 2301 8th Ave. N. this week, with the bulk of the work force from schools and area businesses.

But heading into today, there’s a sizable concern the volunteer spirit won’t carry over to the weekend, said public information officer Jesse Schmidt.

No groups have signed up to volunteer today, so “we’re completely relying on the individual volunteers,” Schmidt said.

The busiest hours for Sandbag Central this week have been from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. After that, the activity seems to die down, Schmidt said.

Schmidt encouraged more volunteers to offer their time after 3 p.m. so all three Spyder machines can continue running.

“If I get 400 people here, I can put them all to work,” he said.

If slots at the Spyder machines are taken, volunteers can fill sandbags the old-fashioned way, with shovel in hand.

How to volunteer

Volunteers are needed to fill sandbags from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

Volunteers will be asked to fill out a registration form when they check in at one of the shuttle sites or at Sandbag Central in north Fargo.

Parking is available at:

    * The Coliseum, 807 17th Ave. N.

    * The west door of the Student Union at North Dakota State University.

    * The J.C. Penney wing entrance of West Acres Shopping Center.

      Shuttles will transport volunteers from those sites to and from Sandbag Central every 15 minutes.

For up-to-date information on volunteer needs, call (701) 476-4000 or log on to http://volunteerstatus.cityoffargo.com.

News source: http://www.inforum.com/event/article/id/309278/

[pmp6nl]

Great job to all those from the college communities that volunteered Monday and all of the other days, lets keep it up!

UPDATED: Impressive turnout of volunteers bolsters efforts at Fargo's Sandbag Central
FARGO – Dean Bresciani, the president of North Dakota State University, gave President’s Day a new twist today when he lent a hand at Sandbag Central.
By: Patrick Springer, INFORUM

FARGO – Dean Bresciani, the president of North Dakota State University, gave President’s Day a new twist today when he lent a hand at Sandbag Central.

He was one of the volunteers who turned out Monday to resume efforts to fill 3 million sandbags in preparation for an expected major flood this spring.

Today’s tally, as of 2 p.m., was 88,000 bags, bringing the running total to 700,000, said Jesse Schmidt, a Fargo firefighter who is helping coordinate the effort.

The group was joined by an estimated 160 NDSU students, far more than the 40 who had signed up. The Bison football team is expected around 4 p.m., and the NDSU women’s volleyball team is expected to follow around 6 p.m., Schmidt said.

Surprisingly, students from Minnesota State University Moorhead also came to Fargo’s Sandbag Central to help fill bags.

“I couldn’t believe it,” Schmidt said. “A couple of Moorhead businesses also showed up.”

Today’s turnout from college students was all the more impressive since today’s President’s Day holiday means a three-day weekend for many, Schmidt said.

http://www.inforum.com/event/article/id/309539/

[pmp6nl]

The sandbagging operations have surpassed 1.1 million sandbags.  Keep up the great work!

[Sal Atticum]

This is some cool information.  It should definitely be clear who is helping out and who isn't, but I suppose there are other things to consider as well (like if people in these areas are helping directly in other ways) before starting to jump on people who live in places that have low sandbagging numbers.

http://www.wday.com/event/article/id/44486/group/homepage/

[pmp6nl]

That is cool, do they have the raw data or allow us to zoom into the areas on our own?

I agree that we should use this information with caution, but it is interesting to see people in certain areas aren't helping out as much... especially if they will be using the sandbags the most.

[gh]

According to the Fargo Forum's website, Fargo's new goal for sandbags decreased from 3 million to 2.5 million and sandbag operations are done. However, it looks like Moorhead's goal is around 1.5 million and they still need 600,000 more sandbags filled.