(left center) Program Manager Terry Williams stands with (right center) Mississippi Valley Division Commander Maj. Gen. Diana Holland, as she presents a certificate of appreciation award in Fargo, North Dakota, Aug. 8.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Headquarters, in Washington, D.C., recently named the St. Paul District Fargo-Moorhead Metropolitan Area Flood Risk Management Project Delivery Team as its “USACE 2022 Project Delivery Team of the Year for Excellence.”

The Fargo-Moorhead diversion project is a 30-mile-long diversion channel in North Dakota with upstream staging of flood waters. The plan includes constructing a 20-mile-long southern embankment, 19 highway bridges, three railroad bridges, three gated structures and two aqueduct structures. It also includes levees and floodwalls in Fargo and Moorhead which safely allows additional flows through the metro area.

“I take great pride in the teams’ commitment to innovation and overcoming challenges to accomplish the mission - providing permanent flood risk management to the Fargo-Moorhead region,” said the Fargo-Moorhead Metro project Program Manager Terry Williams.

The project is being implemented using a public private partnership, or P3, with split delivery. This is a first, and an innovative approach for the Corps of Engineers, and is already applying best practices to improve the delivery of other federal projects.

The 16-person team played a vital role in taking the Corps’ first P3 project from concept to reality. The project is currently on schedule for operation in the spring of 2027. The construction framework will safeguard 230,000 people, provide construction savings of $330 million, shorten construction time by 10 years, increase the return on investment, transform civil works project delivery and improve the nation’s resiliency.

“The project is distinctive in numerous ways, ranging from alternative financing to split delivery implementation across multiple states, counties and cities,” Williams said. “Not only is it the first P3 civil works project in the Corps of Engineers' history but it is also the inaugural pilot project for the innovative funding concept.”

A project of this magnitude also comes with other monumental project accomplishments, Williams added. The Fargo-Moorhead Metro team completed the design of the Red River Structure, I-29 Raise, Drain 27, Drayton Dam, Southern Embankment, monitoring the construction of the Diversion Inlet Structure, Wild Rice River Structure and SE-1, while continuing to conduct environmental monitoring and adaptive management activities.

The teams’ exemplary service earned praise and notes of thanks from the highest levels in the Corps.

“The team’s consistent application of project delivery business processes resulted in achieving the stakeholder’s expectations and the ultimate goal in setting an example of accelerating successful project delivery to the American people,” said Mississippi Valley Division Commanding General Maj. Gen. Diana Holland.

The diversion project is one of the top priorities for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

The USACE 2022 Project Delivery Team of the Year for Excellence award will be presented at the 2022 National Awards Ceremony, date to be determined. In addition to an award plaque, each team member will receive an individual certificate for their outstanding contributions to the Corps.

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