Valley City Repairs Dike as the Sheyenne Rises
|  Video
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| Breanna Borries |
| 4/12/2009 |
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| The Sheyenne River will soon break a record that`s stood for well over a century. In Valley City, it`s expected to go two feet above record stage by Tuesday, and that`s already causing problems. Crews worked Sunday night to shore up a dike in the northeast part of town, after a bubble caused a crack. Valley City`s mayor says the situation is under control, but 15 to 20 nearby homes have been voluntarily evacuated. "Once you`re here, it`s so shocking that it just sets you back a little bit," says one resident. Another adds, "We`ve never had dikes up like this up to 24 feet." A little rain started to sprinkle on the crews working to button up the rest of valley. Valley City mayor Mary Lee Nielsen says,"They`re not predicting more than a 1/10 or so, so it`s nothing that concerns us greatly. It`s just awkward to have to work in." But at this point, nothing is certain says Nielsen. "We don`t know what our worst is going to be yet because we haven`t gotten our final predictions from up north." So for now, the last bit of sandbags splashed down to protect problem spots, one of them being Marketplace Food and Drug, which sits right along the Sheyenne River. Owner Keith Johanneson explains, "We`ve actually prepared semi`s on the other side of the building that if it looks like we`ll flood we`ll pull the store apart in about 5/6 hours and dismantle it." Johanneson has owned one of the only two grocery stores in town for the past 15 years and plans to stay open. He just came came out to check on the few inmates and National Guard members working to protect his business and couldn`t be more thankful. "I can`t say enough about this community and the people," he says. Dikes and levees are being built to 24 feet, and 80 National Guard members were in Valley City Sunday to help. Another 40 soldiers are expected there Monday. |
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