The creation of the Red River State Recreation Area was a grass root effort that came about as a result of the flood of 1997 that devastated the communities of East Grand Forks, MN and Grand Forks, ND. After the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers redrew the floodplain, the Federal Emergency Management Agency bought 500 homes and other buildings in East Grand Forks along the Red and Red Lake rivers. Various structures and homes were removed and the land, now a 1,200-acre greenway, is a state recreation area. Included in this greenway area is a new campground that features 72 campsites including 48 electric sites that have full hookups (sewer and water). The new recreation area also includes trails for walking and biking, areas for picnicking and rivers for fishing and boating. The recreation area's setting in an urban area, offers visitors access to outdoor recreational opportunities as well as shopping and dining facilities within walking distance of one another.