The Fergus Falls Daily Journal

Tom Hintgen / Daily Journal: A crew of city employees and contractors worked Wednesday to remove a willow tree that had fallen into the Otter Tail River near the Court Street bridge due to an unstable river bank.

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City may need to take down trees [UPDATED]

Published 11:04am Thursday, May 12, 2011 Updated 11:04am Thursday, May 12, 2011

High water in the Otter Tail River worked to erode a patch of soil near the Court Street bridge on Tuesday, causing a willow tree near the river’s edge to fall into the water.ft.

A crew of city workers, including firefighters, police officers and parks and recreation employees, worked to pull it out on Wednesday. The city has now marked between 20 and 25 other trees along the river in the city that could fall in, and staff is studying whether the trees should be removed or if there is a way to keep them from toppling into the water.

A tree falling in the water can cause unanticipated damage, said Parks and Recreation Manager Steve Plaza, A tree left unattended could damage a city sewer pipe that crosses the river further downstream, or it could catch on the railroad trestle near Vine Street and dam up the river.

Plaza said the city hopes to leave as many trees standing as possible, but if they are going to fall in, “I think it’s easier to remove them while they’re still standing.”