Flooding in North Dakota, March 21 to 31, 1997

Warm weather toward the end of March lead to rapid snow melt across southcentral North Dakota. This in turn lead to flooding across much of the area. Near the confluence of Spring Creek and the Knife River, the town of Beulah(Mercer Co) had 150 families evacuated. Sewer lines backed up when the lift stations failed. Up to 4 feet of water flooded streets and lawns. Also in Mercer Co. 1 person was injured when he drove over a section of road that the Knife River washed out. Along the Cannonball River in Hettinger Co., 50 families in the town of Mott were evacuated. In Grant Co., 20 residents along the Cannonball River had to be evacuated. 1 farmer reported losing 50 hogs due to the flooding. In LaMoure Co, the Bonehill and Cottonwood creeks flooded, washing out at least 7 bridges. A 41 yr. old female and her 17 yr. old daughter were killed when they drove their pickup off a section of road washed out by the Bonehill Creek. There was a 50-75 foot section of road missing with the pickup falling approximately 15 feet into the water. 2 horses that were in the horse trailer they were pulling also perished. In the town of Edgely, water lines were forced up by the flood waters and broke, leaving much of the town without water for awhile. Also in LaMoure Co, its estimated that there were 600 washout sites to either dirt or paved roads. The Maple River in Dickey Co isolated 2 farm families. 12 familes were without power for a day when ice sheared off a power pole. Minor flooding in Sioux, Morton and Burleigh counties resulted in overland flooding and a few wet basements. The James River in Stutsman, LaMoure and Dickey counties also did some minor overland flooding with some residents reporting wet basements or washed out county roads.