Like an icy tutu, an odd formation ringing a tree on March 29, 2009, marks the height of the water level after the Red River floods started to recede in Oxbow, North Dakota.

Cold temperatures seem to have helped keep the floods from worsening, as snow and ice stay frozen rather than contributing meltwater to the river, a meteorologist told the Reuters news service. But an oncoming blizzard is expected to dump even more snow on the affected areas as well as bring potentially damaging winds.

"We don't want to lose the fight at this point," Fargo, North Dakota, Deputy Mayor Tim Mahoney told the AFP news service. "We could have [another] flood in areas if we don't watch our dikes."

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