The impression I get from all this talk of the Fargo Diversion is the people supporting the diversion are the most arrogant and selfish people in the state of North Dakota. First, they want to make a wasteland out of about 6,500 acres of some of the best farmland in the world. Second, they want to dump the water downstream with no concern about the people who live there or their livelihoods. Third, these 6,500 acres will be off the tax roll so everyone's taxes in Cass County will go up. Fourth, they want these same people to come to Fargo and pay more sales taxes for the privilege of having more water thrown at them and/or their taxes raised. Now I know what invest in your valley means.
I think it is a dirty shame that more than $1.5 billion is going into protecting such a small portion of the Red River Valley at the expense of everyone else. The diversion doesn't help anyone 20 miles north of Fargo or west of Fargo or south of Fargo. Abercrombie, Wahpeton, Great Bend, Mooreton, Lisbon, Kindred and towns north of Fargo are still going to have their flood problems. Do you think anyone is going to care about these towns once Fargo gets their diversion?
There is a shining example of flood control northwest of Fargo. It decreases the crest of the Red River in both 2009 and 2010. It's the Maple River Dam, a dry dam that only holds water in times of flooding. Why are we not creating more of these dams on the tributaries of the Red River? We know they work, we know there are places for more dry dams and they will protect the whole valley not just Fargo.
The opponents of the Fargo Diversion have a unique opportunity to do something that has never been done before. If they would form a formal group opposing the Fargo Diversion and supporting Red River basin flood control, they could force Fargo into rethinking their options. I am sure if an organization for Red River basin flood control was formed, it would have members from the South Dakota border to the Canadian border. I would join and so would anyone who has an interest in controlling flooding in the tributaries of the Red River.
If the people who are going to get run over by the city of Fargo don't stand up now and organize, Fargo will get their diversion and they will be too small to matter in the future.
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Ray Zajac
Lidgerwood, N.D.
