Flood Control Protection Project in Halstad, Minnesota

The City of Halstad, MN, along with the US Army Corps of Engineers, first built a levee in the 1980s to provide flood protection from the Red River. Since the unparalleled flood of 2009 indicated an even greater need for flood protection, the Wild Rice Watershed District has partnered with the City to provide flooding risk relief for the city's residents.


Levee Upgrades

After the 2009 flood, and in response to pending floodplain mapping changes, it was determined that the levee needed to be upgraded to keep neighborhoods out of the floodplain and avoid required flood insurance for the citizens of Halstad. After a re-mapping of the area in 2013 by FEMA, nearly 40% of the town was proposed to be put back in the 100-year floodplain, an at-risk designation that would require residents to once again buy flood insurance. The District and City asked HEI to develop a plan to improve the levee system and prevent this.

Once funding was secured from the State of Minnesota Flood Hazard Mitigation Program in 2013, design began on an earthen levee and other flood control components to reduce the risk of flooding. The construction contract was awarded in June of 2018, and levee construction was completed in 2019. The existing levee operations and maintenance (O&M) plan was updated, and a new emergency action plan was put in place for the community.

Photos from left to right show levee construction to the permanent levees protecting Halstad from the Red River in 2020.


Road Raises

The District, the Red River Watershed Management Board, and the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) funded a project that raised Highway 75 in 2019 on the north and south side of town. This project incorporated the remaining flood control features designed by HEI. MnDOT and HEI were able to complete both projects (levees and road raises) at the same time with no interruptions to either project.

Road raise along Highway 75 outside of Halstad.


Contact Us to Learn More

Jerry Bents, PE

Project Manager

701.499.2045

Randy Engelstad, PE

Project Engineer

701.499.2087


Road raise along Highway 75 outside of Halstad.