With restored river channel comes improved road safety

The Warroad River Watershed District eliminated a safety hazard on a township road this season when contractors moved a stretch of the West Branch Warroad River from the erosion-prone road ditch back to its historic channel.

A $414,000 Disaster Relief Assistance Program grant from the Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources covered the cost. The grant was part of $3 million in additional disaster aid made available in 2016 to 15 local governments handling the aftermath of 2014 flooding.

In late July, contractors drove sheet piling — part of a 50-foot-long, riprap-armored water control stru...