02.23.11

Hoeven, Mississippi Valley Division Corps Commander Work to Coordinate Flood Preparations Efforts in Devils Lake

FARGO, ND – Sen. John Hoeven and Brigadier General Michael Walsh, commander of the Mississippi Valley Division, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, today met with local leaders to coordinate flood preparation efforts and inspect enhanced dikes and other mitigation work the Corps has underway in the Devils Lake area. Hoeven and Walsh held a Flood Coordination meeting and heard updates from city and county leaders and engineers.

Construction is currently proceeding to raise and extend the existing embankments protecting the City of Devils Lake, including construction of new pump stations. The embankment will provide an additional six feet of protection, rising from elevation 1460 to 1466. In addition, the total length of embankments will be extended from approximately 8 miles to 12 miles. The total cost of the project is $150 million.

“Our best available projections suggest water levels in the Devils Lake region will almost certainly rise to new record levels this season,” Hoeven said. “The work the Corps is doing, combined with a plan to relocate buildings and build a new east-end outlet, is needed to address flooding in the Devils Lake basin. We need to continue that effort, cooperatively and aggressively, to protect people and property.”

As Mississippi Valley Division Commander, Walsh is responsible for the agency’s civil works program. In addition, he manages the Corps’ water resources program in the Mississippi River Valley, which extends from Canada to the Gulf of Mexico including portions of 12 states. Walsh oversees six district offices including the St. Paul, Minn., office which manages the Corps’ flood response work in Devils Lake and the Red River Valley.