Fargo prepares for the flood season

FARGO — The city of Fargo is once again getting ready for flood season by checking their inventory and testing equipment.

Fargo Public Works Director Ben Dow said their current supply of ready-now sandbags was depleted when they donated sandbags to Valley City for flooding there last year.

The city's sandbag supply went from more than 100,000 down to the current total of roughly 4,500.

But that doesn't mean they have a shortage for this flood season. The city has 1.2 million empty bags stockpiled and ready to be filled.

Dow said the most important thing they're working on right now is making sure the machines used to fill those bags are fully operational.

"We've went through our equipment as far as our spider machines to get ready if we have to start making sandbags. We're lining up the necessary equipment," Dow said.

Two more things that have helped flood protection efforts over the years has been the buyout of homes along the river since 2009, Dow said, as well as permanent levees that have been put in place. Both of these efforts have reduced the area where sandbagging is necessary.

Dow also said it's a bit too early to be thinking about setting up sandbag central, as the work they've done in recent years has pushed back how soon they need to decide to sandbag.