It’s no secret that climate change has already begun causing a series of extreme weather events, from flooding to drought, wildfires, heat waves, and excessive precipitation. But people don’t realize that these events cost Americans billions of dollars.
One US city says it’s doing everything possible to keep its river from flooding, but it still can’t afford to keep its residents above water.
Climate Change Costs the US $150 Billion Every Year
At this point, almost everyone understands the adverse side effects of climate change, but few know how much is spent on preventing, mitigating, protecting, and cleaning up these consequences.
According to a report published by George Washington University, the US spends around $150 billion annually on climate change. And the World Economic Forum states that climate change costs the planet $16 million every hour.
City in Minnesota Struggling to Protect Residents
While climate spending is happening everywhere, almost all the time, the city of Moorhead, Minnesota, is currently struggling with the seemingly constant costs of protecting its people from climate change.
Moorhead sits alongside the Red River, which flows through much of Minnesota, along the North Dakota border, and all the way to Lake Winnipeg. And this river is causing immense problems for the small city.
The Red River Is Flooding More Than Ever
The 550-mile Red River is beautiful and necessary for the region’s natural ecosystem.
However, as Minnesota and North Dakota continue to experience excessive rainfall due to the ever-changing climate, the Red River is flooding more than ever before.
Minnesota and North Dakota Are Working Together
In response to this frustrating reality, lawmakers from either side of the river, from Fargo, North Dakota, and Moorhead, Minnesota, have banded together to fund the Fargo-Moorhead Area Diversion Project, more commonly referred to as the Red River Diversion.
The roughly $3.2 billion project will protect almost 300,000 families and homes from future flooding, though it will take another three years to complete.
Moorhead Lawmakers Say This Isn’t Enough to Protect Residents
While the diversion project is set to help minimize or even eliminate the risk of river flooding, Moorhead’s lead engineer, Bob Zimmerman, said it still won’t protect the city from extreme rain events.
Zimmerman argues that, because of the geography and topography of both the river and the city of Moorhead, they will continue to see mild and even drastic flooding in the coming years if more is not done to stop it.
Moorhead’s Storm Sewer System Needs to Be Replaced
Zimmerman, along with other experts in Moorhead, argues that the storm sewer system needs to be replaced to protect the city’s residents from flooding.
The storm sewers throughout Moorhead are more than 70 years old, and they are not nearly big enough to handle the extra precipitation brought on by climate change. However, this project may be impossible as it’s wildly expensive.
The Storm Sewer Project Would Cost $120 Million
The Moorhead storm sewer project has already been drawn up, and according to Zimmerman’s calculations, it would cost the city of Moorhead around $120 million.
While that may seem like a ridiculous amount of money for a sewer system, Zimmerman explained that this project is particularly expensive in Moorhead because of the geography and intense risk of flood.
Moorhead Needs Extra Large Storm Sewers
Heavy clay soils lie under the residences and businesses of Moorhead, Minnesota, limiting the amount of water the ground can absorb. This soil not only makes the city susceptible to flooding but also makes underground construction far more challenging.
As Zimmerman explained, “Typically, storm sewers drain by gravity, and in this part of the world if we tried to design storm sewers for huge events, extreme events, the size of the pipes would be so large, [and] the cost of the development would be so large.”
How Can Moorhead Fund the Money It Needs to Protect the City From Flooding?
The city applied for federal funding to at least start the storm sewer project, but unfortunately, it can take years before infrastructure projects are accepted.
The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, which funded the project’s design, has allotted $35 million to Moorhead, but it’s simply not enough to complete the storm sewer plan.
Moorhead Could Charge Its Residents
Another option on the table is implementing a house assessment requirement for all Moorhead residents, which they would have to pay for out of pocket. However, for obvious reasons, this plan is fairly unpopular.
Zimmerman explained, “That’s a tool in the toolbox we could use, but definitely one that we would prefer not to.”
Moorhead Will Continue to See Excessive Rain as Climate Change Worsens
Nearly 90% of Minnesota residents report they have personally felt the effects of climate change, and that number will soon grow to 100% as these consequences worsen.
Until the storm sewer system is complete, Moorhead residents will continue to experience mild and extreme flooding, which will ruin their homes, businesses, and vehicles. Moorhead’s officials are doing everything they can, but until they have the funding they need, they’re at quite a standstill.
