Mott Dam Helps Prevent More Flooding on KMOT-TV North Dakota's NBC News Leader

Mott Dam Helps Prevent More Flooding | Video

Retha Colclasure

4/14/2009

A number of towns across the state have been dealing with flooding this year, whether on a big scale or a small one.

Over the past 50 years, the Natural Resources Conservation Service has been trying to prevent some of that flooding, especially in towns like Mott.

In 1969, NRCS helped build a flood prevention dam just north of town.

The Mott Dam was originally built for just $170,000.

And the Natural Resources Conservation Service says it`s proven to be worth every penny.

"When you see the water and the businesses downstream, it`s easy to justify," says Darrin Olin, a NRCS District Conservationist.

In west Mott, flooding has prevented homeowners from even reaching their homes. But the downtown area is protected by this nearly 40-foot tall wall of dirt.

The NRCS estimates that this dam has protected Mott from about $1.5 million in damages.

That`s just this year.

"It`s pretty easy to see the value of this project," says Olin. "Behind me in the fall of 08 it was dry. With snowfall, once it melted, it didn`t take long to fill up."

The dam has reached capacity, and is releasing water through a spillway system that runs underneath the city and then drains into the Cannonball River.

"If this wasn`t here, downtown Mott would be having the same struggle as west Mott," says Olin.

And when the flooding concerns are over, the water behind the dam will once again be usable for recreation, and provide habitat for wildlife.

NRCS has been involved in building 49 flood prevention dams across the state.

The most recent one was completed in 2007.

Most of the dams are in northeastern North Dakota.

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