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Fargo Area Gets Deadline For Diversion Argument

FARGO, N.D. (AP) -- Fargo-area officials have been given until Jan. 31 to argue their case for a proposed Red River diversion alignment about 1.5 miles farther west than the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' preferred route.

West Fargo Mayor Rich Mattern tells The Forum that's more time than some local officials expected, but it still means a lot of work needs to get done over the next six weeks.

Corps spokesman Craig Evans says the agency wants to decide on an alignment so it can focus attention on one plan.

Fargo-area residents have spent the last two springs battling major floods, including a record-setting crest in 2009 that damaged hundreds of homes and forced thousands to evacuate. The proposed diversion project is aimed at long-term flood control.

(© Copyright 2010 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

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