Sometimes things go right—or at least, they turn out much better than expected. For residents of Fargo, North Dakota, the mood on Sunday was mostly one of relief as the Red River crested and the danger of flooding receded. At its highest, the river was almost 19 feet over flood stage.
In the preceding week, volunteers had filled and stacked more than a million sandbags to create three-foot-high walls, and clay levees were also built to protect against flooding. In all, it was a well-coordinated effort, with the city planning the most efficient routes for deploying the sandbags and people of all ages, including kids, stepping in to help.
The people who worked to shore up the city were motivated by recent experience: Last year, floods in the city caused thousands of people to evacuate their homes, and many homes were damaged.
Water levels are still much higher than normal, but receding. And as in most areas that experience flooding, there are risks from substances in the floodwaters—everything from sewage to chemicals like pesticides, gasoline, and oils. Garbage, animal carcasses, and the sand from the sandbags themselves—exposed to potentially contaminated water—will all have to be disposed of. But the worst of the danger has passed, and the cleanup effort can begin.