County Readies Flood Work | Video

Joel Porter | 4/16/2012

County and federal leaders are discussing flood projects this evening in Bismarck. Some of that is left-over work from last year, while other designs are preventive measures for future high water years.

Homeowners and Burleigh County leaders are battling a common enemy: drifting sand that`s accumulating in unwanted spots.

"Everybody up north kind of lost more because they had that water really kind of just pounding on them at that corner. And it just pushed down around here and kind of settled in where the current wasn`t so strong," said Hogue Island resident Sherri Neis.

"It`s a nuisance, but it`s also up in Hogue Island, we`ve had to blade it off the roads because it`s been drifting across the roads," said Burleigh County engineer Marcus Hall.

Not far away, contractors are digging out the bay at Misty Waters Marina. The nearby bridge is closed to traffic.

"There`s no structural damage we observed in our reviews of that particular structure. However, there was some loss of material behind the abutment, so it`s unsafe to travel across," Hall said.

The bridge repair is one project on the county`s agenda. This evening, the Army Corps of Engineers is seeking approval from Burleigh County to access the Hogue Island neighborhood and begin shoring up parts of the bank that were eaten away by flooding.

"In some cases, we had the great erosion you`d seen and in those locations, it is extensive backfill work and extensive rip rap that has to take place in order to fight the river back," Hall said.

Right now, there is no timetable for when the Corps would begin improvements. However, Hall says he`s confident the work could begin sometime this upcoming construction season.

"Generally speaking, we`re very confident with the speed, the rate things are getting done. Once they get out there and get going on it on a particular project and we`ve not had any problems with dealing with those contractors."

The county is also planning to take bids for improving the flood control structure on Whisper Drive near Fox Island.

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