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Can another flood like that of 1997 occur? Can we do anything to prevent the same kind of destruction in another such flood? These questions have become topics of discussion and debate in the Valley. Everything from larger dikes to a diversion system to better water management has been offered as a shield against "another 500 year flood." The lives and livelihoods of many hang on the outcome of these deliberations.
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Whitey's tavern, a fixture in East Grand Forks, was destroyed by the flood, for not only was the building severely damaged, it stood where the planned new dike system is to be built. So the building was torn down. Photo from Northwest Minnesota Historical Center flood collection.
Whitey's Wondrous Return EAST GRAND FORKS, MN - Historic comebacks of the late 20th century: The Rat Pack. Swing. And now, Whitey's. Yes, Whitey's - the beloved watering hole of student,s construction workers and lawyers alike - has returned. Sure, it's in a different building now and the walls haven't been yellowed yet by the smoke of a million cigarettes. But the original horse-shoe bar is back, as are the black-and-white servers' uniforms, the homemade onion rings and the mirrored neon decor. So is Greg Stennes, the man behind the legend. The sawdust had scarcely settled when Stennes hosted a soft opening for the University of North Dakota's Potato Bowl weekend September 11. A week later, he opened the restaurant for real. Its relocation to the Fail building at the corner of DeMers and 2nd Avenue Northwest is just three doors east of the previous Whitey's, which was demolished after the flood of '97. |
In September, 1998, after a long wait, Whitey's reopened in a new
location.
Excerpt of article from the Fargo Forum, October 7, 1998.
Dike or Diversion? Residents are Split Grand Forks and East Grand Forks residents are evenly split about how to control the unruly Red River. A Herald poll shows that 37 percent of people surveyed want to build a dike, while 36 percent prefer a diversion channel. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers recently proposed dike alignments that would force hundreds of homes and businesses to be demolished or relocated to make way for the new levees. But officials in both cities prodded the Corps to take a second look at a diversion channel and other flood-protection options. "Diking will always be part of the mix," according to Robert "Punky" Beuchamp, East Grand Forks City Council president. However, he said, "Raising the bridges and relocating bridges would have a significant downgrading of river stages for The Point area (of East Grand Forks) and south Grand Forks." After battling the worst flood of the century, local residents are searching for ways to shield themselves and their property from another devastating flood. About 70 percent of residents polled offered some support for a dike plan - 43 percent said it should be seriously considered while 28 percent said it would be that best solution. Meanwhile, 16 percent said "building a dike would be more ruinous to downtown than another flood." The future of Greater Grand Forks will be dramatically influenced by the decisions elected leaders make about a permanent flood-protection system. The issue is a hot topic of conversation in restaurants, bars, homes and town meetings. Don and JoAnn Kuntz, Grand Forks print shop owners, and Harry Miskavige, East Grand Forks postmaster, personify the conflicting advice that council members are hearing. The Kuntzes got four feet of water on the main floor of their business at 310 Bruce Avenue in Grand Forks. They want to move ahead with building a dike. "I saw what was inside our shop," Don said, "I don't care to deal with it again. I'd like to see it done as quickly as possible and get on with life." Miskavige's basement at 246 Northridge Hills Court, Grand Forks, was filled with seven feet of water, and the flood came to within an inch of spilling onto the main floor of the downtown East Grand Forks post office. If the current dike alignments are approved, Miskavige would see dikes when he looks out his home and office windows. He's fighting for alternatives to the Grand Forks and East Grand Forks dike plans. "I don't want the guts of both cities ripped out," Miskavige said. "We don't have to destroy our towns." |
The cities of Grand Forks and East Grand Forks have settled on higher dikes for future flood protection. But some still feel that a diversion system, like that in Manitoba, would be a better protection against high water in the future. The debate over "dike vs. diversion" divided both communities for a time. Excerpt of article from the Grand Forks Herald, May 27, 1997.
| Still here, feeling even better A year later, Grand Forks and East Grand Forks residents continue progress in personal recoveries. Which best describes your personal recovery during
the flood? Do you think you will be living here a year from
now? Do you think you will be living here five years
from now? What percentage of your friends or acquaintances
have moved away? |
Excerpts from poll published by the Grand Forks Herald, April 19, 1998.
