Red River of the North. Picture by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers says construction activities will begin this week on the first phase of the $2.1 billion Red River flood diversion project in the Fargo-Moorhead area.

The Corps said Tuesday that Ames Construction of Burnsville, Minnesota, is sending equipment to the site near Horace, North Dakota, to conduct pre-construction studies for the diversion inlet. The inlet will include a control structure with three gates to regulate flows into the diversion channel around Fargo on the North Dakota side of the river.

Minnesota and upstream opponents are fighting the project in court. The project would redirect floodwaters on the north-flowing river around Fargo, but would inundate farmland south of the cities during times of serious flooding. Minnesota has refused to issue permits for work on its side.—AP

Today's top stories

Growing Interest in Construction Careers Among Younger People Means Jobs Filled, Deadlines Met

Larry Young Paving Tackles Grade-Separated Interchange in Texas

Caltrans, Crews Working to Repair Highway Landslides

FIRSTGREEN Industries Launches ROCKEAT Electric Skid Steer Loader

'Tiltrotator Effect' Increases as Energy Consumption Goes Down

VIDEO: Birmingham, Ala., Awarded $14.5M Fed Grant to Revitalize Its 'Black Main Street'

Pettibone Celebrates 75th Anniversary of Cary-Lift

Fay Preps Way for Pittsburgh International Airport Modernization Project