Grand Forks Flood and Recovery

A few Grand Forks flood facts:

  • Flood crest: 54.4 feet. (Flood stage: 28 feet)
  • Water flow: 140,000 cubic feet/second. (780 is normal)
  • 46,000 people evacuated in Grand Forks (90% of population)
  • 8600 homes with damage (75% of total) and 1616 apartments damaged (28% of total)
  • Almost two billion dollars in damage (Grand Forks and East Grand Forks)
  • 60,000 tons of debris removed.
  • 13 days without running water, 23 days without drinkable water.
  • No lives lost to the flood.

Grand Forks Five Years Later

The Story of the Grand Forks Flood as told by a local resident

After the Flood
Photos from the last week of April, 1997

Downtown Grand Forks

Grand Forks Neighborhoods

Grand Forks One Year Later - April 1998

The Red River

East Grand Forks Flood and Recovery

University of North Dakota Photo Album

Site Map | Home

Downtown burning
Flood and Fire
Photo: David Winslow (UND)


After the fire
Downtown after the fire
Photo: T. Baker (UND)


North Third Street
North Third Street
Photo: A. Draves


Lincoln Drive
Lincoln Drive neighborhood
Photo: A. Draves


Phoenix School
The Phoenix rises
Photo: A. Draves


Herald Building
Herald of the new Grand Forks
Photo: A. Draves


Riverside
Riverside Park neighborhood
Photo: Alan Draves

For more information:

Grand Forks Herald (Current news from Grand Forks)
City of Grand Forks (Flood recovery and city government info)
Army Corps of Engineers Reports on Flood Protection Project
UND Flood History Page (Many photos taken during the flood)
1997 Red River Valley Flood (Aerial photographs of Grand Forks during the flood)
University of North Dakota
Grand Forks Public Schools
BASINWIDE (Promoting a basinwide approach to flood control)

More Flood Links

Updated 10/1/99

Please send comments or questions to the Webmaster. This page maintained by Alan Draves.

Copyright © Alan Draves 1999.