The Clay County Commission is endorsing Cass County's position on permanent flood protection for the Red River Valley. Clay commissioners today voted unanimously in support of their North Dakota counterparts' position that a diversion is the best way to protect against major floods, and that it's best built on the North Dakota side of the Red.
In a statement released by Clay County Commissioners this afternoon, they say they realize there's work yet to be done to obtain cost/benefit ratio for a North Dakota diversion plan and until that's done, other options should be considered.
The Army Corps of Engineers -- which put together a series of options -- likes the idea of a diversion on the Minnesota side near Dilworth, but city leaders in that town are opposed to the idea. Costs of a diversion range from $1 billion to nearly $1.5 billion.
