25 Sep 2017

Planning Assistance to States: Souris Basin Study

Investigating and evaluating water supply and flood control options requires a thorough understanding of the water resources of the Souris Basin. This comprehensive study also updates the knowledge of the hydrological and hydraulic processes of the Souris River Basin under the current climate regime and climate change. Computer modeling is used to simulate various water supply and flood control options, and methods will be developed to evaluate the effects that these options will have on resource groups.

26 Feb 2015

Souris Basin Section 408

Following the 2011 flood event, North Dakota developed a preliminary engineering report that evaluated alternatives to mitigate flood risks throughout the Souris Basin. The report recommended a flood risk management project that would provide protection up to the 2011 flood of record levels or approximately 27,400 cubic feet per second or cfs.

27 Feb 2015

Souris Court Levee Repair, Minot, ND

The Souris River flows from Saskatchewan, Canada into North Dakota and then back into Canada. Minot is a city located in north central North Dakota with a population of approximately 46,000 residents. Above normal precipitation during the summer and fall of 2010 left much of the eastern portion of Saskatchewan saturated. The winter of 2010 and 2011 then saw snowfall significantly above normal throughout the basin. The Souris River in the Minot area started to rise in April 2011 and continued to rise throughout May 2011.

27 Feb 2015

Souris River Basin, North Dakota

In the mid-1970s, a series of major flood events occurred. To protect the communities, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers constructed a series of emergency levees under Public Law 84‒99. These levees were later incorporated into the federal project. Since then, the emergency levees have undergone limited maintenance and experienced structural encroachments; however, these levees remain the primary line of defense for major flood events. While the emergency levees have provided some protection against major flood events, a permanent solution is needed to reduce the flood risk to these critical North Dakota communities. The Souris River in the North Dakota cities of Burlington, Minot, Logan, and Sawyer had a flood of record in 2011 with flows of 27,400 cubic feet per second. These flows devastated the communities and caused evacuations of more than 11,000 residents and approximately $1 billion in damage to private and public property.

26 Feb 2015

Souris River Hydrology and Hydraulics Studies

The Souris (Mouse) River is located in Saskatchewan and Manitoba, Canada, and North Dakota. The headwaters of the basin comprise several rivers in Saskatchewan that meet near the international border and flow into North Dakota. The Des Lacs River joins the Souris upstream of Minot near Burlington, North Dakota. The Souris River then flows through Sawyer and Velva, North Dakota, before turning back to the north and flowing into Manitoba.