FM Area Diversion October Construction Update

October 23, 2026

FM Area Diversion October Construction Update

FARGO, N.D. (October 23, 2026) - Crews completed excavating the 30-mile stormwater diversion channel for the FM Area Diversion this month. That involved moving 45 million cubic yards of material, enough to fill the Fargodome 21 times. ASN Constructors continues to work on the channel, however, as it installs security fencing and places topsoil and mulch.

The last portion of Reach SE-3 of the 22-mile southern embankment reached full height this month, as well, and crews began placing topsoil and turf reinforcement matting. The earthen levee will hold back floodwater when the project operates.

Work also continued on the project's two aqueducts. At the Sheyenne River Aqueduct, where the river flows over the diversion channel, crews excavated the spillway approach channel. That's where excess river flows discharge over the spillway's crest, down its drop structure and into the diversion channel. This month, crews completed installing the metal cladding around the vertical lift gate support structure and moved to installing metal flashing and trim. ASN Constructors also drove ice-retention piling, which will prevent large sheets of ice from reaching and blocking the structure's flume.

Mitigation work remains an important but less visible part of the overall FM Area Diversion construction. At Clara Cemetery, which is one of eight cemeteries being mitigated, the contractor worked on a ring levee.

Watch these updates and more in the new drone construction update at https://youtu.be/actw8V_EzUw.

About the Metro Flood Diversion Authority

The MFDA is a permanent North Dakota political subdivision that is cooperatively implementing the Fargo-Moorhead Area Diversion comprehensive project with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The MFDA works in partnership with the Red River Valley Alliance in a public-private partnership as well as the City of Fargo, City of Moorhead, Cass County, Clay County and the Cass County Joint Water Resource District.