April 28

Today the river is down to 51.5 ft. The sun is shining, the temperature is 57 degrees. We're hoping we can avoid the rains that are forecast for this weekend. The National Guard is still here walking the dikes at night and the local residents patrol during the day and man the Command Center 24 hrs a day. The High Water Cafe is still operating. When Ken and Greg went over to start the pump in South Pembina this morning Ken took more pictures for me.

Looking south from the dike closure.

Neighbors

Thanks again to the people who send pictures for me to share. I'm not sure who took these but they found their way to me.

??? Hwy 55 or 18 ???

Drayton

Neche

Neche

Pembina

St Vincent, MN

Pembina/Emerson Port of Entry

Pembina

Pembina Airport

April 25

The flood committee met this afternoon. We believe the river has crested here, it has been hovering at about 52 ft for the last 3 days. It looks like the water will stay at this level for several days longer so we need to continue walking the dikes and keeping an eye on things while the water remains against the dike and flood wall.

Highway 18 going into Neche is open again. The elementary students will go back to school there tomorrow but the buses will have to detour through Bathgate since Hwy 55 is still closed.

April 23 p.m.

The Coast Guard and the Pembina Fire Dept. did some training with Air Boats near the airport today. Randy Brintnell took these pictures for us. Thanks.

                                                                                       #4 green

      dike at the south end of S Pembina           Hwy 55 to Neche

       I29 looking south                                Pembina Cemetary

      Haugens boating on the road

April 23

There was a nice article in the Grand Forks Herald this morning. You can read it at The Pembina Patrol

April 22

Fairly quiet day today. It's been overcast and gloomy all day but we lucked out on the rain forecast. There was a little water in the ring dike that was put up last night. It seems to be coming in at a seam in the cement wall. This will have to be repaired when the river goes back down. The river level has stayed at about 51.95 ft. all day.

We've heard reports that several country roads are water covered and some have washouts. Highway 55 to Neche is closed and Hwy 18 remains closed at Neche. I29 from Manvel to Grafton opened again yesterday.

People have been great about bringing in food to the High Water Cafe. A group was bringing in several hot dishes tonight and the "sweets" table was loaded. Thanks!!

Pat & Ken reading the river level

April 21

About 9:30 tonight it was reported that there was a wet spot along the dike wall across from the Spot bar. The National Guardsmen along with local volunteers (52 total) put up a ring dike around the area.

South Pembina

Three men checked things out in South Pembina this morning and brought these pictures back for me. (Thanks Ken!)

Thanks Jamie

Here are a couple pictures taken by Jamie Meagher who traveled to places I haven't been lately.

Highway 75 heading north into Noyes

Highway 18 going north at Neche

April 20

Last night the water went over Highway 18 from a mile south of Neche to the Canadian border. Because of this, school children from Neche grades k-12 attended classes in Neche and students from Neche rural areas and from Pembina attended classes in Pembina. Teachers from each town covered classes for each other and kept in touch via fax, phone, computer programs such as Skype and iChat, and email. We will do the same tomorrow and then hope the water recedes over the long Easter week-end.

A group of 20 high school students and 3 teachers filled sandbags at the Helen Moris farm this afternoon.

While we were filling bags yesterday a photographer and reporter from the Grand Forks Herald stopped to interview us and take a couple pictures which were published on the front page of the Herald today.

The last picture today was an aerial photo taken on April 19th of Pembina (left) and St Vincent (right) looking north.

Working at Moris'

from the Moris farm looking toward Pembina

April 19

A bus load of students from Walhalla joined Pembina students today to fill 8000 sandbags in about 3 hours.
Tonight there was a public meeting to share flood information and give people a chance to ask questions.
The National Guard arrived today. They will be walking the dike from midnight to 6 a.m. and filling in day shifts as needed.

April 18-19

Good morning. It's 2:30 a.m. and I'm sitting at the Command Center trying to catch up on the day. These first pictures were sent by Nita and Darrell Warner.

Sunrise on the Red taken from Warner's front deck.

Looking southwest from the backyard toward the farm shop.

Old 81 heading south from Pembina.

It was time to finish closing the dike wall this morning. A half dozen men along with the same number of high school students put in the last sections.

There was a flood committee meeting at 4:30 Monday. About 36 people showed up for the meeting. Tuesday there will be a public meeting at 7:00 at the Community Center. We are still in need of people to walk the dike and to sit at the Command Center. The Red is at 50.4 feet now. The National Guard will come to help with dike patrol when it reaches 51 ft. but we will still need local help. Please visit the Command Center to volunteer. The "High Water Cafe" opened today. The Legion Auxiliary ladies will be in charge of the kitchen. They also welcome volunteers and donations.

Students from the high school went to Neche Monday to fill more sandbags there. They anticipate the water going over Hwy 18 at Neche sometime Tues. The students will fill more sandbags in Pembina on Tuesday.

Dike walkers stopping at the High Water Cafe