Wild Rice River Structure

The Wild Rice River Structure is one of three gated control structures on the southern embankment of the Fargo-Moorhead (FM) Area Diversion Project. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers awarded the contracts to build all three structures to Ames Construction.

The Wild Rice River structure features two gates designed to manage Wild Rice River flows. Crews successfully rerouted the river channel through the structure in early 2023. Additional project scope included dam walls, a vehicle service bridge, stilling basin, approach apron, slope protection slab, and approach walls. Each abutment and the pier were designed and constructed with a hollow core to serve as a gallery for future maintenance and access.

The Wild Rice River Structure and the Diversion Inlet were substantially completed in 2023, and the Red River Structure—the largest of the three structures—is on track for completion in the spring of 2026.

The FM Area Diversion Project will protect 230,000 people and 70 square miles of infrastructure from catastrophic flooding by limiting the flow of floodwaters into the metro area and diverting floodwater into a 30-mile-long bypass channel.

Learn more:
Metro Flood Diversion Authority