(CNN) – (CNN) - The Red River kept rising to dangerous levels Friday as those in the area hoped they'd done enough to protect themselves.
Though the river is in a major flood stage, folks in Fargo, North Dakota, and Moorhead, Minnesota, said they were optimistic after filling more than a million sandbags and stacking most of them.
"We're in good shape, and we have a lot of things in place in case there are any problems," Fargo Mayor Dennis Walaker said.
Walaker said the river is expected to crest in the next day or two at a level close to 3 feet below last year's record flood level.
In 2009, the Red River set a record 40.8 feet at Fargo. As of 12:15 a.m. ET Friday, the river was at 34.61 feet, more than 16 feet above the flood stage of 18 feet.
Last week, warm weather and rain melted snow south of Fargo and Moorhead, causing the Red River to swell. Upstream, snow and ice have yet to melt, pushing water back toward the two cities.
In Fargo, more than 700,000 sandbags had been placed around the city. FULL STORY