River Vili Flood Risk Reduction Project
Current Status: Updated December 14, 2012
The contractor has finished all levee, floodwall and block retaining wall construction.
A Look Ahead
In the spring of 2013, the floodwall will be colored to match the floodwall north of 52nd Avenue along University Drive South. Trees will be planted and the earthen levee will be seeded and mulched. This will be the final update until work resumes in the spring.
Project Scope
In an effort to minimize the amount of emergency measures needed to protect properties in the River Vili development from river flooding, the City of Fargo, in conjunction with Kadrmas, Lee & Jackson will construct earthen levees, concrete floodwalls, storm sewer improvements and other associated features in 2012 & 2013.
In previous flood fights, the residents of this neighborhood banded together to place sandbags to protect their homes. The United States Army Corps of Engineers also constructed earthen levees in the past to reduce sandbagging efforts.
In the fall of 2011, the City of Fargo began acquiring river fronting properties to allow room for the new levees. Due to the close proximity of the floodway east of the homes on 11th Street and poor river bank stability south of the homes along 55th Avenue, many structures were acquired. The properties were auctioned to the public in February 2012 and many were moved to new locations.
The new levees will protect the River Vili development to an elevation of 911.50 which is equivalent to a river stage of approximately 44 feet. The levees and will be built to FEMA certifiable standards.
Construction of the levees & storm sewer along the levees will encompass phase one of the River Vili Area Flood Risk Management Project. The second phase (to be constructed in 2013) will include an extension of the levee at the SW corner of River Vili, a new storm sewer lift station and river outfall.
The levees would work in tandem with the proposed FM Diversion project and will also tie into future flood risk reduction projects to the south that will enable the City to potentially remove certain areas of town from the proposed FEMA 100 year floodplain.
Phase 1 construction began in August 2012 with the removal of foundations and levee construction was completed by the end of the 2012 construction season. During the spring of 2013, the levees will be topsoiled, seeded and the concrete flood wall will be colored similar to the flood wall on University Drive north of 52nd Avenue South. Phase 2 is anticipated to be constructed in the 2013 construction season, which will entail extending the levee to the south of River Vili and construct a new storm sewer lift station & river outfall. The City of Fargo applied for a grant in 2012 to cover up to 75% of the construction costs for this phase of the project. It is anticipated that the City will find out in the first months of 2013 if we were successful in receiving grant funding for the project. If we are successful in receiving the grant funding, it is anticipated that the construction would start in 2013 and wrap up in 2014. If construction on the project was to begin prior to grant award the city would be denied grant funding.
