FARGO - The Red River crept upward overnight in Fargo-Moorhead and this spring's flood now stands as the river's eighth highest reading in recorded history.
The last measurement of the Red was 36.43 feet at 5:15 this morning, just .26 feet below the 2001 mark. The measurement is more than double minor flood stage of 18 feet. Major flood stage in Fargo is 30 feet.
Recent readings on the river also put it above the clearance height of 36.3 feet for the First Avenue North bridge between Fargo and Moorhead.
The National Weather Service forecasts the river to reach 37.5 feet Sunday, a crest that would put this year's flood in the top five high water marks. The projected crest this spring would top the floods of 2001, 2006 and 1969. Already this spring, readings on the rising Red means five of record history's eight highest crests have happened since 1997.
Here is a list of the seven recorded crests that are higher than the current Red reading:
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(1) 40.84 ft on March 28, 2009
(2) 40.10 ft on April 7, 1897
(3) 39.57 ft on April 17, 1997
(4) 37.80 ft on April 11, 1882
(5) 37.34 ft on April 15, 1969
(6) 37.13 ft on April 5, 2006
(7) 36.69 ft on April 14, 2001
