Situated seven miles south of Fargo, North Dakota, the Red River Structure will be the largest of three gated control structures on the southern embankment of the historic Fargo-Moorhead (FM) Area Diversion Project. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers awarded the contracts to build all three structures to Ames Construction.
In 2023, crews completed foundation pours, the west dam embankment, and abutments and piers. When subgrade activities required more time, crews removed snow and began work earlier in the season to maintain the schedule.
Milestones in 2024 include the installation of three Tainter gates—the radial arm floodgates that control the flow of water.
The FM Area Diversion Project will protect 230,000 people and 70 square miles of infrastructure from catastrophic flooding. When the overall project is complete, the Red River Structure and the Wild Rice River Structure will limit the flow of floodwaters into the metro area, and the Diversion Inlet will release water into a 30-mile-long diversion channel on the metro’s far western edge.
Learn more:
Metro Flood Diversion Authority
Markets: Federal, Water Resources, Canals, Levees
Location: Fargo, North Dakota
Completion: Spring of 2026
Project Owner: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Services:
- Structural concrete
- Mass concrete
- Foundation piling
- Earthwork
- Tainter gate installation
2023 Recognition of Special Achievement
National Academy of Construction
