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Fort Abraham Lincoln State Park - 2011 Flood Cleanup

The campground at Fort Abraham Lincoln State Park was closed May 24, 2011 due to Missouri River flooding. The campground, located at the confluence of the Heart and Missouri Rivers, has been affected by flooding 2 times in the last 3 years (last flooding - 2009). Flood recovery efforts are ongoing. Barring winter/spring flooding a partial reopening of the campground is anticipated in June. The NDPRD is not taking reservations for the campground until an opening date is certain. Updates will be posted here and on the website as more information become available.

2011 Flood
 

Affected Infrastructure

  • 96 RV/Tent camping sites (total)
  • Electrical pedestals (60) and boards (as part of mitigation, pedestals will be redesigned so they won’t be flooded)
  • 2 Rental Cabins (will be designed for easy removal as part of mitigation)
  • Amphitheater
  • Triple Shelter
  • Large Comfort Station
  • Small Comfort Station
  • Walking path along river (concrete)
  • Roads (asphalt)
  • Playground equipment
  • Fire rings
2011 Flood
 
  • 12-15 inches of silt was left on the campground floor by the flooding
  • Plantings (Eighty-six 20 to 30 year old trees have been cut down, another 250 smaller trees will or have died)
    • 350 trees, 1,500 shrubs
    • Grass reseeding
  • The trolley line was closed as the slumping hillside which the rail bed is on, caused damage to the tracks. NDPRD owns the rails and bed which is used by the privately owned trolley serving the park. FEMA will pay for repairs of the trolley line but, only after the hillside is stabilized. NDPRD is doing a geophysical study of the hillside to get an idea of the extent of the slump and an estimate of what it will cost to repair it. It is possible that the line will not be reopened.

Visitation to the park is down by about 35% this year from last. We had 484 campers prior to the start of the flood in 2011 (2010 had a little over 7,100 campers). The Museum, Cavalry Square, Blockhouses and On-A-Slant Indian Village were all spared flooding.

Estimated Cleanup Costs

  • *Electrical pedistals and boards - $60,000
  • *Rental Cabins - $34,000
  • Amphitheater - $4,000
  • Large Comfort Station - $20,000
  • Small Comfort Station - $12,000
  • Tree and Shrub Replacement - $60,000
  • Grass reseeding - $5,000
2011 Flood
 

*Electrical and cabins will be redesigned to either be easily removable or flood resistant.