Southern Red River Valley braces for flood crest soon
WAHPETON, N.D. - Richland and Wilkin counties began scrambling Sunday to try to keep up with a new flood crest of 17½ to 19½ feet as the Red River here reached major flood stage by surpassing 14¼ feet.
The National Weather Service has told local officials to prepare for a crest Tuesday night.
The news came as Wilkin County was making a plea for volunteers to show up at the recycling center south of town to help fill sandbags.
The plea for help came as officials received reports of water overtopping some roads in rural Wilkin County.
In Wahpeton, public works crews were hooking up an auxiliary pump near the Red River, swollen and ice-capped, to help the storm sewer function.
Rains started Sunday afternoon, with 1¼ inches possible by this morning, and another 1 to 1¼ inches of rain Tuesday.
