Moorhead Joins Neighboring Fargo In Stating Flood Emergency

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MOORHEAD, Minn. (AP) — The Minnesota city of Moorhead has joined neighboring Fargo, North Dakota, in declaring a flood emergency along the river that separates the cities.

Moorhead Mayor Johnathan Judd says the move enables the city to seek money from state and federal governments to help with potential impacts from Red River flooding. Fargo declared a flood emergency Monday.

The National Weather Service says there's a 10 percent chance that the river will approach historic flood levels in the Fargo-Moorhead area. The record is 41 feet, set in 2009.

Both cities have implemented significant flood-fighting measures in the last decade. Moorhead City Engineer Bob Zimmerman says the city built 9 miles of temporary clay levees in 2009 and would need only 1.6 miles of levees if the river reaches 2009 levels this year.