National Guard Joins Flood Fight

Members of the North Dakota National Guard check over one of their water pumps as it moves water around the Anne Carlsen Center Campus.

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Efforts to pump water around the Anne Carlsen Center Campus began Wednesday with the arrival of a large unit from Fargo and the North Dakota National Guard. Guard members worked with ACC, Burlington Northern and emergency staff in an attempt to keep overland flooding from swallowing the Center building which has stood for nearly 70 years

Large-volume pumping commenced late in the afternoon, as water was routed behind the Campus and eventually toward the grate at the end of the ditch running between the front parking lot and the cottages. From here water either traveled through the grate to the James River, or was pumped across the road to the river.

Throughout the first half of Thursday pumping efforts were delayed by ice jams and crews spent time searching for a culvert that will help discharge water. This search was made more difficult by the accumulations of ice, snow, slush and debris that could not be pumped away, and had collected throughout the area. In spite of the challenges facing the group, all are still optimistic about the Campus being savable.