Peace Garden News

The Red River Control Structure, a central component of the $3.2 billion flood protection initiative for the Fargo-Moorhead area, is now operational after the permanent re-routing of the Red River. Senator John Hoeven announced the milestone in Fargo, highlighting the structure’s significance in safeguarding residents and infrastructure across state lines.

This project is notable as it represents the first major Army Corps of Engineers undertaking to use a public-private partnership (P3) model. This approach enabled both federal and private sector segments to be built at the same time, resulting in cost and time savings. Of the $750 million federal share secured by Hoeven, $115 million was designated specifically for this control structure.

The Red River Control Structure is described as the largest of three gated installations within a 22-mile southern embankment designed to regulate water flow through and around Fargo-Moorhead. The structure features three steel gates—each 50 feet wide, 52 feet tall, and weighing nearly 300,000 pounds.

Once fully completed by spring 2027, the broader project will provide permanent flood protection for about 260,000 people and safeguard 70 square miles of property.

“For more than 15 years, we’ve worked to advance permanent flood protection for the entire Fargo-Moorhead region. This has been a tremendous undertaking, requiring us to bring in partners from across all levels of government and from the private sector, but now, we are seeing tremendous results as the very heart of the project, the Red River Control Structure, is brought online,” said Hoeven. “Re-routing the Red River is a remarkable feat and a testament to what we can accomplish when we work together. Moreover, we are making history, as this is the first major Corps project to use the P3 model. Being the first to break this new ground wasn’t easy, but as a result, the federal portion of this project is on time and under budget – that’s a rare achievement and will provide the flood protection this region needs sooner.”

Senator Hoeven’s role included passing sixteen congressional acts—nine legislative provisions including initial authorization in 2014 and another construction start authorization in 2016—and securing seven separate appropriations for funding construction efforts. He also helped increase federal funding commitments from $450 million by renegotiating agreements between stakeholders.

Additional steps taken involved coordinating with four federal agencies; enabling concurrent work on raising I-29 while starting excavation on site; utilizing Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) loans; resolving land easement issues tied to Hazard Mitigation Grant Program funds; and permitting an alternative route for portions of construction.