The Fargo-Moorhead Diversion Board Authority wasted no time starting work after President Obama signed the Water Reform and Resources Development Act on June 10. The authority is using the federal approval to proceed with construction on a controversial segment of its proposed $2-billion flood-mitigation project.

Opponents say a levee downstream of the Fargo, N.D.-Moorhead, Minn., metro area would sacrifice the natural floodplain around the cities for commercial development. They sued in federal and state courts to stop the project.