February 27, 2026
FM Area Diversion February Construction Update
FARGO, ND (February 27, 2026) – ASN Constructors reached an excavation milestone this month. More than 40 million cubic yards of material for the FM Area Diversion’s stormwater diversion channel have now been moved. That’s enough to fill the Fargodome more than 18 times.
This progress and other updates can be viewed at the February 2026 Construction Flyover video.
Transcript: February 2026 Construction Flyover
Click to expand transcript
Tom Fuchs: [00:00:00] More than 40 million cubic yards have now been excavated for the stormwater diversion channel. I’m Tom Fuchs, the senior construction manager with the Metro Flood Diversion Authority, with that and other updates.
[00:00:29] Channel excavation work is nearly 90% completed with ASN Constructors having moved enough dirt to fill the Fargodome more than 18 times. In reaches 9 and 10 west of the FM Metro and south of I-94, channel excavation and material placement in the excavated material berms continues, allowing the diversion channel to take shape on both sides of the 38th Street West crossing.
[00:01:08] Farther north in reach six, crews have removed the BNSF Prosper shoefly and are now excavating the diversion channel plug below. Once completed, excavation in this area will establish a connection between reaches five and six of the stormwater diversion channel.
[00:01:36] As our view takes us farther south, we get a ground view of the work on the Sheyenne River Aqueduct so that we don’t interfere with nesting eagles nearby. ASN Constructors continued placing formwork, rebar, and concrete for the remaining portions of the flume and conduit structure, including the first portions of the elevated walkway atop the south wall of the flume.
[00:01:59] Concrete work has continued on the structure’s wing walls as well, which will usher both the Sheyenne River through the structure’s flume and diversion channel flows through the conduits below. At the spillway, construction of additional segments of the structure’s concrete base slab is underway.
[00:02:30] East of the aqueduct, our drone view resumes at the Authority administration building. This will be the permanent home for the Metro Flood Diversion Authority and allow direct oversight of project operations. On the main building’s exterior, ASN Constructors installed sheathing and weather barrier, and roofing installation is nearing completion.
[00:02:48] Thanks to progress on the building’s exterior and temporary heat, work has also progressed on the main building’s interior where metal stud framing and mechanical and electrical rough-in work are ongoing. Crews also began installing the roof at the maintenance building nearby.
Aqueducts: ASN Constructors continued placing formwork, rebar and concrete for the remaining portions of the flume and conduit structure on the Sheyenne River Aqueduct. Concrete work also continued on the structure’s wingwalls, which will usher both the Sheyenne River through the structure’s flume and diversion channel flows through the conduits below. At the spillway, construction of additional sections of the structure’s concrete base slab is underway, and crews are forming and placing concrete baffle blocks on top of the already completed portions of the spillway’s base.
Authority Administration Building: ASN Constructors installed sheathing and weather barrier on the exterior of the building that will serve as the permanent home for the Metro Flood Diversion Authority. It’s positioned along the southern embankment to provide a direct line of sight during project operations. Work began inside the building, as well, with metal stud framing and mechanical and electrical rough-in work. Crews also began installing the roof at the maintenance building nearby.
Stormwater Diversion Channel: Excavation is nearly 90% completed on the 30-mile channel. In reaches 9 and 10, which are west of the FM metro area and south of I-94, channel excavation and material placement in the excavated material berms continues, allowing the diversion channel to take shape on both sides of the 38th Street West crossing. In reach 6, crews removed the BNSF Prosper shoofly and are excavating the diversion channel plug below. Once completed, excavation in this area will establish a connection between Reaches 5 and 6 of the stormwater diversion channel.
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.