Valley News Live - KVLY/KXJB - Fargo/Grand ForksFM Diversion Gets $5 Million

A setback in funding for the FM Diversion project... The Diversion Authority requested $30 million, however, the president's 2013 budget allots only $5 million.

Right now, it's hard to say what will happen in the long run, but it means the diversion authority needs to look for more money. Senator Kent Conrad in Washington and says he doesn't know where the money will come from, but he is confident it will be found.

Fargo Mayor ,Dennis Walaker, says, "It's tough. It's tough. This is 3 years."

Floods and diversions have been a battle for Fargo Mayor Dennis Walaker, and an announcement from Washington threw a new curveball.

"There's a certain amount of disappointment. 08:28:25 If we have a 500 year flood and we have no protection, it's going to be devastating," says Mayor Walaker.

The President's 2013 budget has only $5 million dollars allotted for the FM Diversion. That's $25 million short of what was requested.

North Dakota Senator, Kent Conrad, says, "We'd always like to get more but you can imagine, if there's only 100 million available to the whole country. For us to get 30, that's not in the cards."

While the budget announcement may look like bad news, diversion officials say it's the opposite and people in Washington see this an important project.

"In this category of federal funding, we have the 2nd highest level of commitment of any project in the United States," says Senator Conrad.

Local funds will match the government, bringing it to 10 million, but more is needed, and the diversion officials will keep looking.

"It's still going forward. No one's put on the brakes yet. That's what you have to understand. Nobody's said no yet," says Mayor Walaker.

Even though the diversion is in the 2013 budget, it still needs to be approved. That will go to congress later on this year, and Senator Conrad says he and others are working hard on it to make sure that it does get authorized. Mayor Walaker says they'll be going out to Washington soon and will be asking for more help, even if it's just advice on what they can do locally.