III 

117TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. RES. 288 

Commemorating the tenth anniversary of the Souris River flood in Minot, 

North Dakota. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

JUNE 24, 2021 

Mr. HOEVEN (for himself and Mr. CRAMER) submitted the following 

resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary 

RESOLUTION 

Commemorating the tenth anniversary of the Souris River 

flood in Minot, North Dakota. 

Whereas, in late June 2011, the city of Minot, North Dakota, 

and surrounding communities were inundated by widespread flooding; 

Whereas high soil moisture content, above-average snow pack, 

and persistent spring and summer precipitation produced 

record-level flooding throughout the Souris River Basin; 

Whereas, in June 2011, the Saskatchewan Watershed Authority informed communities downstream that ‘‘reservoirs [had] no capacity to store further inflows’’; 

Whereas, on June 22, 2011, following continued releases 

from upstream reservoirs, water began to overtop levees 


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•SRES 288 IS 

in the city of Minot, resulting in a mandatory evacuation 

and the displacement of 11,000 Minot residents; 

Whereas nearly 11,500 acres in Ward County were covered 

in 2 to 15 feet of water, impacting nearly 4,800 structures; 

Whereas the river’s flow peaked at 27,000 cubic feet per second, resulting in almost as much water moving through 

Minot in June 2011 as in the entire year of 1976, which 

was the previous all-time annual flow record; 

Whereas, on June 26, 2011, the river crested at 1,561.72 

feet above sea level, a Minot record; 

Whereas the floodwater destroyed 4,100 homes, 250 businesses, and numerous schools, parks, churches, and other 

public infrastructure at a cost of as much as 

$1,000,000,000; 

Whereas floodwater created national security concerns by 

temporarily blocking access to some intercontinental ballistic missile facilities operated by personnel at Minot Air 

Force Base; 

Whereas the Federal Emergency Management Agency provided more than 1,500 temporary housing units to address the agency’s third largest housing mission in its 

history to date; 

Whereas the people of Minot and surrounding communities 

demonstrated resilience and worked together to help their 

fellow neighbors in a time of need; 

Whereas Federal, State, and local officials and agencies coordinated to provide immediate recovery assistance; 


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•SRES 288 IS 

Whereas Congress provided hundreds of millions of dollars in 

disaster relief and recovery funding to assist the city of 

Minot and the surrounding region; 

Whereas the people of Minot and surrounding communities 

continue to deal with the effects of the flood, including 

efforts to construct permanent flood protection in the 

Minot area; and 

Whereas 2021 marks the tenth anniversary of the Souris 

River flood in Minot, North Dakota: Now, therefore, be 

it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) commemorates the tenth anniversary of the 

3 Souris River flood in Minot, North Dakota; 

4 (2) expresses sympathy to people in the Souris 

5 River Basin and condolences to the families who lost 

6 their homes or businesses; 

7 (3) commends the resilience of the people in the 

8 Souris River Basin and their commitment to recov9 ery and rebuilding; and 

10 (4) expresses gratitude and appreciation to 

11 State and local leaders, first responders, and the 

12 North Dakota National Guard for protecting the 

13 people of the Souris River Basin. 

Æ 


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