News Releases for June 2005
June 9, 2005
For further information, please Contact the Governor's Office
Governor Hoeven Declares An Emergency For Severe Summer Storms And Flooding
Pheasant Lake Dam Found Safe
Executive Order 2005-03 
(148kb pdf)
BISMARCK, N.D. - Gov. John Hoeven today issued a statewide emergency declaration for impacts resulting from recent severe thunderstorm systems that have caused riverine and overland flooding, forced evacuations of families, isolated rural residents and damaged homes and infrastructure and flooded farmland.
Storm conditions have caused rapid rises in rivers including Pheasant Lake on the Elm River in Dickey County. State Water Commission engineers have evaluated the dam and determined it is stable and functioning appropriately.
“Personal safety is our first concern. Repetitive storm activity is posing a serious threat to our communities, forcing evacuations in some instances and threatening the integrity of sewage and water systems, as well as our roadways and bridges,” Hoeven said. “We are taking necessary precautions through our statewide emergency management system to respond to the needs of our citizens.”
The June 7 storm that forced the evacuation of 40 Edgeley residents is the latest in a series of thunderstorm systems that have caused private and public damages. Flood-related impacts also resulted in the death of a motorist who drowned after she lost control of her vehicle near a saturated riverbank in southeastern North Dakota. Meanwhile, Devils Lake floodwaters continue to inundate roads and pose a threat to safety of residents living in the basin.
The Governor’s Chief of Staff, N.D. National Guard officials and staff from the N.D. Division of Homeland Security, formerly the Division of Emergency Management, on June 8 participated in site visits and aerial surveillances of the Edgeley, Ellendale and Wahpeton areas.
“Every home flooded is a disaster to the family members living there. We are working in partnership with local officials to assess damages and resource needs required to bring these communities back to normal,” said Susan Reinertson, Director of the N.D. Division of Homeland Security. “We urge residents impacted by flooding to report damages to their local emergency management official to aid in this process.”
State agencies supporting the local efforts include the Governor’s Office, the National Guard, the Department of Health, the Civil Air Patrol, the Highway Patrol, the Department of Transportation, the State Water Commission, the State Electrical Board, Game and Fish Department and the Division of Homeland Security. The Edgeley National Guard armory was opened after the June 7 storm to house displaced family members and will remain open as long as needed.
“We are also working with the member agencies of the North Dakota Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster to provide assistance to individuals impacted by storm activities,” Reinertson said. “We have a strong network of volunteer agencies that collaborate with each other in times of crises.”
Additionally, federal and state officials are working with Nelson County to develop a strategy to address inundated roads caused by 2004 and 2005 Devils Lake floodwaters that are flowing into Stump Lake.
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