SWMP

The Water Commission recently completed a new 2009 North Dakota State Water Management Plan (SWMP). The overall purpose of the new SWMP is to: provide information regarding current and projected water use; identify areas where water is generally available for new beneficial uses; identify goals and objectives for water resource management and development; identify potential water resource management and development projects and programs; provide current information regarding the Water Commission's revenue sources for water project development; serve as a formal request for funding from the Resources Trust Fund; and broadly identify water resource management and development opportunities and challenges, and provide recommendations to address them.

To download a copy of the State Water Management Plan or the Executive Summary, click here. To request a hard copy of the SWMP, call (701) 328-4989, or e-mail dschock@nd.gov.

2009-2011 Strategic Plan

The 2009-2011 State Water Commission and Office of the State Engineer Strategic Plan has been completed. The new Strategic Plan contains descriptions and overviews of the agency's major projects and programs. To develop the 2009-2011 Strategic Plan, project and program managers were asked to provide input regarding their expectations for future progress through June 30, 2011. As part of that effort, they were asked to provide project and/or program objectives that they will strive to accomplish during the strategic planning timeframe, as well as specific tasks that will be completed to achieve their objectives.

To request a hard copy of the plan, call (701) 328-4989, or e-mail dschock@nd.gov. Click here to download a PDF of the plan.

Fort Stevenson State Park on Lake Sakakawea

For the latest Missouri River main stem reservoir forecast information from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, click here.

Bureau of Reclamation Commissioner, Bob Johnson, has announced the first funding opportunity for fiscal year 2009 under the Water for America Challenge Grant Program. Reclamation is seeking proposals for cooperative projects that create water banks and markets, or improve the water delivery efficiency of systems through conservation or operational improvements. Entities that may submit proposals are irrigation and/or water districts, water authorities of federally recognized tribes, and other entities created under state or territory law with water management authority. Applicants must also be located in the western United States or United States territories. Proposals must be submitted as indicated on www.grants.gov by January 14, 2009, at 4:00 p.m. MST. It is anticipated the awards will be made during the summer of 2009. For more information on Water for America visit www.usbr.gov/wfa. Questions can be directed to: Jim Weigel, Bureau of Reclamation, 701-221-1289, or by e-mail at jweigel@gp.usbr.gov

The draft 2008-09 Annual Operating Plan for the Missouri River has been released by the Army Corps of Engineers for public comment. The plan presents information on the anticipated regulation of the Missouri River main stem reservoir system for 2009 and the remainder of 2008. The draft 2008-09 Plan with a detailed description of the spring pulses is available on the "Reports and Publications" section of the Corps' Water Management website.

The Missouri River Basin

The Missouri River basin states and tribes have formed a new organization, to be used as a forum for dialogue on Missouri River basin issues. The Missouri River Association of States and Tribes (MoRAST) is a regional interstate organization formed by joint resolution of the governors of North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming, Montana, Nebraska, Iowa, and Kansas, and the Intertribal Water Rights Coalition. People interested in monitoring the activities of this organization can visit their website at www.mo-rast.org. Presentation materials from previous meetings are available and should prove informative concerning key issues facing the basin.

A flowing well in western North Dakota.

The Fox Hills-Hell Creek aquifer is a vital source of water for livestock, domestic, municipal, and industrial uses in western North Dakota. The aquifer is artesian, which allows wells in low-lying areas to flow. The pressure in the aquifer is declining at an average rate of approximately one foot per year. If the current trend continues, a majority of the flowing wells installed in the aquifer will stop flowing within the next 60-90 years.

On a ten-year frequency, the State Water Commission monitors flowing well pressure changes in the aquifer and publishes the results in three reports. In association with each report, brochures titled: Flowing Well Pressure Changes in 1) Billings, Golden Valley, and Slope Counties, 2) McKenzie County, and 3) the Knife River Basin were recently published.

The pressure in the Fox Hills-Hell Creek aquifer may be declining at a rate greater than is necessary. Conservation of the pressure is essential for maximizing the life of the flowing wells. Procedures to minimize pressure decline are described in the brochures.

To download a brochure, click here: Flowing Well Brochures. To download a report, click on Water Resource Investigations and choose WRI No 42, WRI No 43, or WRI No 44. For more information or to request brochures, contact Rex Honeyman, SWC Hydrologist, at 701-328-2754 or by e-mail at rhoneyman@nd.gov.