About 60 Kindred, N.D., senior high school students helped Monday afternoon with flood-fighting efforts in Oxbow, about eight miles south of Fargo.
Contractors were putting up clay dikes along the Red River on Monday as volunteers filled sandbags that should be placed along the river early this week, said Oxbow Mayor Jim Nyhof.
The work will continue today, and Nyhof said he expects Oxbow will have all of its protection methods in place before Thursday, when he expects the Red to crest there. It was at 26.62 feet Monday afternoon.
"We've got some work to do and a short time to do it, but we feel good about it," Nyhof said.
Kindred Schools Superintendent Steve Hall said Oxbow officials asked for students' help Monday in the sandbagging efforts because the river is rising faster than expected.
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The Kindred School District includes the cities of Davenport, Hickson, Kindred, Leonard, Oxbow and Walcott.
Students in grades 9-12 with a signed parental permission form can volunteer to help local flood-fighting efforts, Hall said.
Because spring break begins Wednesday for the students, the district could coordinate help only for Monday and today, but Hall said it likely won't be the last time Kindred students are asked to help out their communities.
"As the waters continue to rise and it's a lot of water that's moving, I expect we'll be asked for more help," he said.
Readers can reach Forum reporter Kristen Daum at (701) 241-5541
