As we near the end of 2022, we celebrate the progress made on the Red River Valley Water Supply Project (RRVWSP) as well as looking ahead at what is planned in 2023.
Several key portions of the project were completed this year, including the discharge structure about six miles south of Cooperstown, North Dakota where the water will enter the Sheyenne River. The Missouri River Intake four miles south of Washburn, North Dakota also made a lot of progress in 2022. Contract 1 is complete with Contract 2 under construction. Work on Contract 2 includes installing pipeline in the tunnel under the Missouri River, push rams, sheet pile structure, and the seal plug. Final restoration of the site is scheduled for the spring of 2023.
The buried pipeline near Carrington, Contract 5A, wrapped up this summer when ground restoration was completed. Crews continue to work on Contract 5B to extend the pipeline southeast of Carrington and east through Foster County. Garrison Diversion Conservancy District (Garrison Diversion) is committed to restoring the land responsibly after construction. Therefore, a Road Maintenance Agreement was signed with Foster County prior to construction.
During construction of the 5B portion of the pipeline in 2022, it was determined restoration of 76th Avenue in Rose Hill Township would be necessary as the road experienced heavy traffic from construction equipment. The Road Maintenance Agreement requires restoration or repair of County and Township roads, such as 76th Avenue, that are utilized as primary haul roads during the construction of the RRVWSP. Garrison Diversion included the Road Maintenance Agreement requirement in the 5B contract with Garney Construction, the contractor responsible for pipeline construction.
The Road Maintenance Agreement has two options for completing restorations and repairs. A County or Township can accept a one-time payment of $10,000 per mile and complete the repair itself. If the County or Township does not want to complete the work itself, the contractor can restore the road following specific requirements. Rose Hill Township chose to accept a one-time payment of $10,000 per mile to complete the repairs on six miles of 76th Avenue. Garney Construction issued a total payment of $60,000 to Rose Hill Township to complete the repairs to the road.
“The payment made by Garney Construction to Rose Hill Township fulfills Garrison Diversion and Garney’s obligation to restore 76th Avenue under the Road Maintenance Agreement with Foster County. The timeline for repairs to the road will be up to Rose Hill Township,” explains Kip Kovar, Garrison Diversion Engineer and Deputy Program Manager for RRVWSP Engineering.
If the funding request for the 2023-2025 biennium is approved by the North Dakota legislature, construction will continue on the pipeline that will span from the McClusky Canal to the Sheyenne River. The 72-inch pipe will have the capacity to convey water at 165 cubic feet per second (CFS) during peak demands.