August 29, 2025

FM Area Diversion August Construction Update

FARGO, ND (August 28, 2025) – This month kicked off with a major milestone for the FM Area Diversion project when the Red River was permanently rerouted through the Red River Structure. The massive gates will close along with those on the Wild Rice River Structure to prevent flooding in the Fargo-Moorhead metro area. As August nears its end, another milestone was marked as the fourth of 19 bridges that will cross the stormwater diversion channel opened to traffic.

Watch highlights of this month’s construction at https://youtu.be/4h6piSWdN1c, and read the recap below.

Crossings: County Road 10 opened to traffic on Monday, and work continues on some of the other 15 crossings that are not yet completed. ASN Constructors is building roadway approach embankments, placing and finishing the aggregate base, and preparing to begin concrete paving for the new westbound lanes on I-94 west of the metro area. Railroad crossings also continue under construction. Girders were placed this month at the BNSF KO crossing, and work progressed at the BNSF Prosper crossing, where the bridge deck was placed.

Rush River Inlet: Nearly 15 acres of riprap along with 23 boulder weirs are being installed to protect the open channel inlet and lessen the flow’s velocity as it moves into the stormwater diversion channel.

Southern Embankment: A few stretches of the 22-mile southern embankment, which will hold back water during significant flooding, are under construction. Reach SE-3 lies immediately west of the Red River Structure. With portions of that embankment already constructed, crews are now excavating for and relocating utility lines that will pass up and over the embankment. Seven different utilities are being relocated to make way for County Road 81 to cross the embankment. Nearly 7 miles southeast of there, in Minnesota at the Clay and Wilkin County line, work on Reach SE-5 includes excavating a temporary channel and making final preparations for diverting the Wolverton Creek.

Stormwater Diversion Channel: Roughly 37 million cubic yards have now been excavated on the 30-mile-long channel. In Reach 11, excavation continued on the main channel with material placement in both the levee and excavated material berms, which flank each side of the channel. Utility relocations also are taking place in Reach 13, where another one of 12 overhead power transmission lines are being moved.

Sheyenne River Aqueduct: ASN Constructors is placing concrete for the flume and conduit structure as well as the wingwalls of this structure that, when completed, will route the Sheyenne River over the top of the stormwater diversion channel. Crews also started to excavate and place sheet pile at the spillway. Learn more about aqueducts in next month’s issue of The Diversion Current by subscribing at www.FMDiversion.gov/subscribe.

About the Metro Flood Diversion Authority

The MFDA is a permanent North Dakota political subdivision that is cooperatively implementing the Fargo-Moorhead Area Diversion comprehensive project with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The MFDA works in partnership with the Red River Valley Alliance in a public-private partnership as well as the City of Fargo, City of Moorhead, Cass County, Clay County and the Cass County Joint Water Resource District.

Photos: For high-resolution photos of FM Area Diversion project construction, please contact Amy Wieser Willson at amy@neonloon.com or 218-535-5359.