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North Dakota Drought Conditions Continue

Posted: Sep 25 2017
The drought conditions in North Dakota have eased a little as late September brought some much needed rain.  However, as of the National Integrated Drought Information System’s (NIDIS) September 19th report, 83.89 percent of North Dakota’s area remained in moderate to severe drought conditions. 

“The ongoing threat of drought is a serious concern.  A drought like the one North Dakota experienced in the 1930s would have a devastating impact on the Red River Valley’s communities and industries to the tune of $25 billion,” says Duane DeKrey, Garrison Diversion Conservancy District General Manager.
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Monitoring drought and its impacts is one of the topics that will be covered at the upcoming 2017 Water Conference on Tuesday, November 7.  Daryl Ritchison, Interim Director of the ND Agricultural Weather Network, will speak about the state’s ongoing drought threat at the conference focused on the Red River Valley Water Supply Project (RRVWSP).  The RRVWSP is a plan to safeguard water for North Dakota communities and rural water systems in times of drought. 
When it is completed, the project will benefit about half of North Dakota’s population by providing a supplemental source of water during droughts by delivering water from the Missouri River to central and eastern North Dakota through buried pipelines.  The water will provide opportunities for industrial development in participating communities from the central part of the state to the Red River Valley.

“This project will allow participating communities and water districts to maintain adequate levels of water for residents and
business operations during times of drought,” says DeKrey.

Thirty-five cities and water systems have committed to help fund the development portion of the project which includes conceptual engineering, phased preliminary engineering, and financial modeling.  The 35 communities and water districts include the Cities of Carrington, Cooperstown, Devils Lake, East Grand Forks, Fargo which includes service to West Fargo, Forman, Grafton, Grand Forks, Hannaford, Hillsboro, Langdon, Larimore, Lisbon, Mayville, McVille, Park River, Tuttle, Valley City, and Wahpeton; as well as the Agassiz Water Users District, Barnes Rural Water District, Cass Rural Water Users District, Central Plains Water District, Dakota Rural Water District, Grand Forks-Traill Water District, Greater Ramsey Water District, McLean-Sheridan Rural Water, Northeast Regional Water District, Richland County Job Development Authority, South Central Regional Water District, Southeast Water Users District, Stutsman Rural Water District/Jamestown, Traill Rural Water Users, Inc., Tri-County Rural Water District, and Walsh Rural Water District.