MFDA Planning Committee Meeting – May 14, 2026

See full minutes.

A meeting of the Metro Flood Diversion Authority Planning Committee was held on May 14, 2026. The following members were present: Dr. Tim Mahoney, Mayor, City of Fargo; Kevin Campbell, Clay County Commissioner; Tony Grindberg, Cass County Commissioner; Shelly Carlson, Mayor, City of Moorhead and Rick Steen, Cass County Joint Water Resource District.

Member(s) absent: Bernie Dardis, Mayor, City of West Fargo

1. CALL TO ORDER

Mayor Mahoney called the meeting to order at 2:00 PM. Roll call was taken, and a quorum was present.

2. APPROVE THE APRIL 2026 MINUTES

MOTION PASSED

Mr. Grindberg moved to approve the April 2026 minutes, and Mr. Campbell seconded the motion. On a voice vote, the motion carried.

3. APPROVE THE ORDER OF THE AGENDA

MOTION PASSED

Mr. Steen moved to approve the order of the agenda and Mr. Grindberg seconded the motion. On a voice vote, the motion carried.

4. CROP LOSS PROGRAM

Mr. Benson introduced the crop loss program, and Mr. Fisher provided a thorough and detailed overview of the program.

Background

Farmland in the Upstream Mitigation Area (UMA) will be available for crop production after completion of the FM Area Diversion Project (the “Project”). The Metro Flood Diversion Authority (MFDA) recognizes that the potential impact of additional flooding caused by operation of the Project could present added risk to agricultural producers who operate in the UMA. While much of the UMA is subject to flooding today (the UMA is approximately 29,000 acres, of which approximately 18,000 acres would flood in a 100-Year Flood Event without the Project), there is risk that the Project induced flooding may limit the coverage of federal crop insurance. Per the Settlement Agreement with the Richland-Wilkin JPA, Buffalo Red River Watershed District, the City of Comstock, the MFDA will provide a crop loss program for preventive planting and for growing season crop loss across the UMA. This is in accordance with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Dam and Safety Permit and noted in the Property Rights Acquisition and Mitigation Plan. The MFDA is required to have the crop loss program in place prior to substantial completion of the last segment of the southern embankment. 

Preventative Planting Crop Program

• The MFDA will implement and fund, at no cost to agricultural producers, a Prevent Plant Crop Program that will provide prevent plant crop funds for producers in the UMA in the event of Project operation and federal Prevent Plant Crop Insurance does not cover the prevent plant claim.
• The Prevent Plant Crop Program will provide the same level of coverage that producers purchase themselves through the federal crop insurance.

Growing Season Supplemental Crop Loss Program

• The MFDA will implement and fund, at no cost to agricultural producers, a Growing Season supplemental Crop Loss Program that will provide producers in the UMA coverage for loss from induced flooding on growing crops during the unlikely event of summer operation of the Project, and the producer’s Multi-Peril Crop Insurance does not cover the crop insurance claim.
• If a producer covers their crops in the UMA with Multi-Peril Crop Insurance, and the Project is operated after crops are planted, the Growing Season Supplemental Crop Loss Program will provide 100% coverage for insured crops damaged by operation of the Project during the growing season.

Financial Ask

The estimated total maximum probable loss for the 29,000-acre UMA is approximately $25 million. This total maximum probable loss was estimated through contracted expert consultation, based on modeled impacts, past cropping histories of the UMA, and projected commodity pricing. The MN DNR D&SP requires the MFDA to fund the crop loss programs. The MFDA staff requests that $25 million from the recent $100 million from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ underspend to be set aside as initial seed funds for this program. It is estimated that the fund will be self-sustaining after 20 years, including any post-operations payments.

After lengthy dialogue, it was determined that the program requires additional research and justification regarding the cost and budget impact prior to moving forward. A request was made by Mr. Grindberg for additional financial information to be provided to the committee at a future meeting.

5. MN LEGISLATIVE UPDATE

Mr. Benson reported that there is potential to receive $10 million from the State of Minnesota to aid in funding the projects on the Minnesota side. A $1.2 billion bonding bill is pending approval, and if approved, we are hopeful that the MCCJPA will receive $10 million in financial assistance.

6. BOARD AND FINANCE CHAIR TRANSITION

The newly elected Mayor of Fargo will become the Board of Authority chair at the July meeting. With Mayor Dardis’ term ending in June, Mr. Steen, vice chair, will serve as the interim Finance Committee chair until a permanent chair is elected by the committee.

7. O&M COSTS AND REVENUE STREAMS

The O&M committee continues to refine and build the components of the transition. There are still many things to be determined in relation to costs, staffing needs, in-town assistance, etc.

8. OTHER BUSINESS

There has been no resolution regarding the Askegaard and Ness claims. An executive session of the board will be held in May to discuss possible next steps.

9. NEXT MEETING

The next meeting will be June 11, 2026.

10. ADJOURNMENT

The meeting adjourned at 2:59 PM.