GARRISON DIVERSION CONSERVANCY DISTRICT PUBLIC RELATIONS COMMITTEE

Transcription

1 1 GARRISON DIVERSION CONSERVANCY DISTRICT PUBLIC RELATIONS COMMITTEE Garrison Diversion Conservancy District Carrington, North Dakota April 5, :30 AM A G E N D A I. Pledge of Allegiance II. Roll Call III. Consideration of Minutes IV. A. >January 11, 2018 Minutes Public Relations Activities A. Submitted Articles i. >ND Water March ii. >ND Water April (DRAFT) B. Submitted News Releases i. > Annie Howard ii. > Executive Committee C. News Articles i. > Pierce County Tribune ii. > New Rockford Transcript and Foster County Independent iii. > Jamestown Sun iv. > Fargo Forum & Jamestown Sun v. > Minot Daily News vi. > Fargo Forum vii. > Bismarck Tribune D. RRVWSP Newsletter i. > st Quarter E. Meetings & Conferences i. Water the State Fair July 26, Minot V. Media Training A. Talking Points VI. GDCD Website VII. Other Business 1

2 2 The following minutes are in draft form subject to review and approval by the Public Relations Committee at its next meeting. GARRISON DIVERSION CONSERVANCY DISTRICT PUBLIC RELATIONS COMMITTEE Garrison Diversion Conservancy District Carrington, North Dakota January 11, A meeting of the Public Relations Committee of the Garrison Diversion Conservancy District was held on January 11, 2018, at the Garrison Diversion Conservancy District, Carrington, North Dakota. The meeting was called to order by Chairman Tweed at 8:15 p.m. DIRECTORS PRESENT Board Chairman Ken Royse Committee Chairman Mike Tweed Director Nikki Boote Director Ward Koeser Director Kenny Rogers Secretary Kimberly Cook DIRECTORS ABSENT None OTHERS PRESENT Garrison Diversion staff and others were present. A copy of the registration is attached to these minutes as Annex I. The meeting was recorded to assist with compilation of the minutes. READING OF THE MINUTES Motion by Director Boote to dispense with a reading of the July 12, 2017, Public Relations Committee minutes and approve them as distributed. Second by Director Koeser. Upon voice vote, motion carried. PUBLIC RELATIONS ACTIVITIES Submitted Articles - - Chairman Tweed referred to copies of articles submitted to the ND Water magazine on behalf of Garrison Diversion. News Releases - - Chairman Tweed also referred to the news releases prepared by Garrison Diversion and submitted to state and local newspapers relating to recent topics of interest pertaining to Garrison Diversion and the Red River Valley Water Supply Project (RRVWSP). 2

3 News Articles - - Kimberly Cook, Secretary, referred to copies of news articles which ran in state and local newspapers relating to Garrison Diversion. RRVWSP Quarterly Newsletter - - Secretary Cook referred to the third and fourth quarter RRVWSP newsletters and reviewed the newsletter analytics. All of the media pieces are provided for the committee s information. Meetings and Conferences - - Secretary Cook reviewed a list of upcoming conferences she will be attending with the Garrison Diversion and Lake Agassiz Water Authority (LAWA) display booths. GARRISON DIVERSION WATER CONFERENCE RECAP Secretary Cook provided a recap on the attendance and proceedings from the Water Conference in November. Approximately 50 people attended the social, and there were around 110 at the conference. RED RIVER VALLEY WATER SUPPLY PROJECT EDUCATION General Info Piece - - Secretary Cook referred to the RRVWSP brochure Investing In Our Future. This informational piece is continually updated as the project changes and/or progress is made. Missouri River Info Piece - - Secretary Cook next referred to the handout North Dakota Usage of Missouri River Water, which contains facts on the Missouri River and what the impacts would be on the river from the RRVWSP. Logo Concepts - - Secretary Cook presented the concept for a RRVWSP logo. The green represents the investment in terms of money and land, the blue signifies the water pipeline. The investment portion is lower than the blue arrow going out signifying the outcome is greater than the investment. If the committee approves, they will proceed with implementing the logo. It was the consensus of the committee to proceed with implementation of the new logo. RRVWSP Video - - Secretary Cook informed the committee that the RRVWSP video has been finalized and it can be viewed on the RRVWSP website. EXHIBIT DISPLAYS Secretary Cook presented illustrations of the new banners that have been added to Garrison Diversion s display set. One pertains to the recreation grant program and the other to irrigation development. There are also three new banners that were added to the LAWA display set as updates on the RRVWSP. GARRISON DIVERSION INFO PIECE Secretary Cook referred to the new and improved Garrison Diversion informational piece, which has been updated to reflect certain changes. 3

4 GDU FACILITIES TOUR RECAP Secretary Cook reported that two GDU facilities tours were offered this fall to staff and directors. A total of 28 people took part in these tours PUBLIC RELATIONS WORK PLAN AND BUDGET Secretary Cook referred to the 2018 Public Relations portion of Garrison Diversion s Work Plan and reviewed the proposed work items for the year. She also reviewed the Public Relations annual budget in the amount of $96,000. OTHER There being no further business to come before the committee, the meeting was adjourned at 9 p.m. (SEAL) Mike Tweed, Chairman Kimberly Cook, Secretary 4

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6 Feature GDCD News 6 An Impressive 40 Years of Service G By Kimberly Cook General Manager Homer Engelhorn hired Julee Erdmann in 1978 to serve as a secretary for the Garrison Diversion Conservancy District (Garrison Diversion). Her dedication to the job carried her to an impressive 40 years of service with the district when she retired in January When Julee began her employment with Garrison Diversion, she was a part-time employee performing administrative duties such as sorting and distributing mail, filing and typing the Diversion Digest, a newsletter distributed by Garrison Diversion. She continued at parttime, enjoying the ability to work in the mornings and be home with her children in the afternoons. She worked for many managers throughout the years each with their own management style, which always took some time to get used to. Some that come to mind are Homer Engelhorn, Alvin Kramer, C. Emerson Murray, Warren Jamison, Dave Koland, and most recently Duane DeKrey. I have a lot of good memories of working at Garrison Diversion as I look back over the years, says Julee. I enjoyed the hustle and bustle of meeting days at the office and the rapport developed with the board members. The culture of the workplace evolved over time as did the methods of communication and performing job duties. The biggest changes Julee recalls are based around technology which automated and simplified many processes throughout her tenure. From typewriters to computers and cell phones and everything in between, technology evolved the work place. Julee is most enjoying her flexible schedule and taking the time to spend her days as she pleases. She resides in Carrington with her husband, Tom. Their two grown children are also members of the community. 6 Forty years is an impressive feat this day in age, and we are grateful to Julee for her service to our organization, says General Manager Duane DeKrey. We wish you the very best as you enjoy your retirement! North Dakota WATER March

7 Feature GDCD News T Bill Krivarchka Nancy Marquart North Dakota WATER Garrison Diversion Elects Executive Committee Members The Garrison Diversion Conservancy District (Garrison Diversion) held elections for the Executive Committee at their quarterly board meeting. Dave Anderson, Pierce County, and Bill Krivarchka, Traill County, were re-elected to the Executive Committee and Nancy Marquart, Nelson County, was elected for a two-year term. Dave Anderson, Pierce County, was elected to the board of directors in He has served on multiple committees, including former chair of the Engineering and Operations Committee. Dave will serve as chairman of the Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee. He is an active water advocate, also serving on the Advisory Committee for the Family Farm Alliance. Dave and his wife, Pam, reside in Rugby. Dr. Bill Krivarchka was elected to the board of directors in 2003 and serves the constituents of Traill County. He will chair the Recreation Committee. Dr. Krivarchka is a retired dentist and former president of the Goose River Dental Association. He serves on the Mayville Improvement Association and is past president of MPCG Dollars for Scholars. Dr. Krivarchka is also the Director of the Eastern ND Area Health Education Center (AHEC). He and his wife, Heidi, live in Mayville. Nancy Marquart was elected asa the Nelson County representative of the Garrison Diversion board in She will serve as chair of the Public Relations Committee. Nancy earned her Bachelor s degree in Organizational Management and Communications from Concordia St. Paul. Nancy is dedicated to public service. She also serves as a Nelson County Commissioner, a member of the Lake Region Law Enforcement Center Board, the Nelson County Social Services Board and the Nelson County Park Board. Nancy resides in Lakota. Our Executive Committee members are all very dedicated individuals working for the benefit of Garrison Diversion, says Ken Royse, board chairman. We are thankful for the commitment from the seasoned members and also for the fresh perspective brought to the committee from newcomer Nancy Marquart. The Executive Committee monitors the financials, federal matters and overall operations of Garrison Diversion. The committee consists of ten members, each serving a two-year term, and is headed by the chairman of the board, Ken Royse, from Burleigh County. The Garrison Diversion Board of Directors has 28 members, each of whom represents a member county. The board works to fulfill Garrison Diversion s mission to provide a reliable, high quality and affordable water supply to benefit the people of North Dakota. Dave Anderson 26 7 March

8 8 A New Accountant Joins Garrison Diversion Annie Howard is settling into her new accountant position at the Carrington Headquarters office. She was hired to fill the position at the Carrington office left when the long-time accountant retired. Annie will oversee accounts payable and receivables and process the payroll for the district. Annie was born and raised on a ranch in Minnewauken and received her Bachelor s degree in Business Administration from Minot State University. As she comes to Garrison Diversion with an extensive background in business management, Annie will be a major asset to the accounting department. Annie worked with public assistance and hazard mitigation for Spirit Lake Emergency Management in 2009, which in turn led to a position with FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency). With FEMA, Annie helped with individual assistance and hazard mitigation as she was deployed to multiple disaster areas, including Hurricane Sandy in New York. As I begin in this position, I understand there is much to learn about each facet of Garrison Diversion, says Annie. I hope to take advantage of each opportunity I m given to learn and grow within the organization. Annie commutes from Sheyenne, where she also serves on the Sheyenne Water Board. Her hobbies include horses, cooking, and volunteer work. We are thankful to have Annie on board at the office, says Duane DeKrey. Her strong business background after working with multiple agencies in various capacities will largely benefit Garrison Diversion. 8 North Dakota WATER March

9 Feature GDCD News 9 Garrison Diversion Supports Municipal, Rural and Industrial Water Supply Initiatives Across North Dakota T By Kimberly Cook The statewide Municipal, Rural and Industrial (MR&I) water supply program enables North Dakota communities and rural water systems to bring a clean and reliable water supply to residents, farms, schools, and businesses. Access to a sustainable supply of quality water can make or break small towns and family farms. As the fiscal agent for the Federal MR&I program, the Garrison Diversion Conservancy District (Garrison Diversion), along with the State Water Commission, helps expand MR&I water supplies in North Dakota. Together, they are responsible for administering the Federal MR&I program. The program has $400 million authorized in federal funding, which helps water systems deliver quality water to homes, businesses, and farms across North Dakota. MR&I Garrison Diversion is dedicated to bringing a reliable, high-quality, and affordable water supply to all areas of North Dakota and strongly supports MR&I water initiatives across the state. When Congress enacted the Garrison Diversion Unit Reformulation Act of 1986, the legislation gave Garrison Diversion responsibility for delivering water to North Dakota cities, towns, rural communities, and growing industrial users and authorized $200 million for the MR&I program. An additional $200 million was authorized in the Dakota Water Resources Act of 2000 to help meet statewide water needs, and $200 million to meet the needs of the four Indian Reservations in North Dakota. This funding will help protect the health and environment of North Dakota s Indian Nations. Water systems across North Dakota depend on the MR&I program for funding to address current and future water demands on their systems. Dozens of municipal and rural water systems have received funding through the MR&I program, and more than $339 million has been expended to date. Seventeen water supply projects across North Dakota were awarded nearly $23 million in federal funding for MR&I projects in 2016 and 2017 fiscal years. The recipients are listed below. The city of Gladstone was awarded $735,000 for the construction of a 250,000-gallon water storage tank and installation of 2,800 feet of water main to address current and future demands of the water system. The city of Makoti was awarded $1.05 million to expand the water storage system, including construction of a new 200,000-gallon water tower and 3,000 feet of water main, which will address current and future demands of the water system. Photo courtesy of Will Kincaid 9 North Dakota WATER April

10 Feature GDCD News 10 The city of Glenburn was awarded $525,000 for the installation of a water main and an additional $712,500 to construct a 100,000-gallon water tower to address current and future system demands. The city of Mohall was awarded $670,000 to construct a 225,000-gallon water tower to address current and future system demands. Mohall serves nearly 800 people. The city of Sherwood was awarded $456,000 to loop 5,000 feet of water main to address water quality and to provide service to unserved properties in the system. The city of Burlington was awarded $600,000 to construct a 300,000-gallon water tower and a new water main to address current and future demands of the system. Burlington serves 1,969 people with the water supply from the Northwest Area Water Supply project. The Cass Rural Water Users District was awarded $2.37 million to install 25 miles of distribution pipeline to serve the Leonard service area including 35 rural water users and 60 individual service connections to address water quality issues with arsenic. The city of Carrington received $1.9 million to construct a new elevated water storage tank and install a new high-service pump building to address current and future system demands. Carrington services 2,075 people, service areas of Stutsman Rural Water District, and service areas of Greater Ramsey Water District. The city of Casselton was awarded more than $1.2 million to construct a 500,000-gallon water tower to address current and future demands of the system. Casselton serves 2,491 people and purchases water from Cass Rural Water Users District. The city of Kindred was awarded $735,000 to construct a new 150,000-gallon water storage tank to address current and future demands of the system. Kindred s service area includes 722 people, and the water supply comes from the Cass Rural Water Users District. The city of New England received almost $1.6 million to construct a new 200,000-gallon water storage tank and install a new water main to address current and future system demands. New England serves 632 people, and their water supply comes from the Southwest Pipeline Project. 26 North Dakota WATER April

11 11 The city of Rugby received $458,000 to make improvements to the water treatment plant, which will increase efficiency of the booster pump station, lime-handling system, and electric upgrades. Rugby serves 2,900 people and the All Seasons Water Users District. Red River Valley Water Supply Project The city of Wahpeton was awarded $960,000 for water treatment plant improvements, including increased efficiency and capacity in the limehandling system and electric upgrades. Wahpeton serves 7,853 people and is supplied by ground water wells. The city of Westhope received $255,000 to install a new water main to address current and future demands of the system. The city serves 427 people and receives its water supply from ground water wells. T The Northeast Regional Water District was awarded $6 million for system expansions, which includes 200 miles of pipeline to construct a water distribution system to provide water service to 175 rural water users in western Cavalier County. Logo Unveiled The Red River Valley Water Supply Project (RRVWSP) now has an official project logo. The water droplet and pipeline imagery represents the water that will be delivered via underground pipes. The colors grey, blue, and green represent infrastructure, drought relief, and industrial development. The Garrison Diversion Conservancy District and Lake Agassiz Water Authority Boards recently adopted the logo. Due to the high profile nature of this project and the number of people who will benefit from it, we felt it deserved its own logo. The logo can currently be seen on our social media channels, presentations and informational handouts. In the future, it will also be used on construction signage. Construction is expected to begin next year and wrap up in 2027, says Kimberly Cook, Garrison Diversion communications director. Southwest Pipeline Project received $3 million to construct the Dickinson Water Treatment Plant. Garrison Diversion works closely with the State Water Commission, ND Department of Health, ND Rural Water Systems Association and League of Cities to ensure a strong MR&I program is in place. Helping provide water supplies for all of North Dakota has benefited numerous communities and has positively impacted their economies. With help from the MR&I program, many water supply projects have taken off in rural North Dakota, allowing rural residents to remain on their farms and ranches. Many small communities suffering from water quality problems have also benefited from the MR&I program, because they have been able to connect to a rural water system, which provided them with a clean, reliable source of water and improved the quality of life. Through the millions of dollars provided by the MR&I water supply program, thousands of North Dakotans are benefited by a sufficient supply of quality water, says Garrison Diversion General Manager Duane DeKrey. The benefit of the accessibility to adequate water supplies is immeasurable to the people of North Dakota. 11 North Dakota WATER April

12 12 For immediate release: Contact: Kimberly Cook Phone: Garrison Diversion Fills Accounting Position CARRINGTON, ND (January 31, 2018) The Garrison Diversion Conservancy District (Garrison Diversion) hired Annie Howard to fill the open Accountant position at the Carrington office. Annie will oversee accounts payable and receivables and process the payroll for the district. Annie was born and raised on a ranch in Minnewauken and received her bachelor s degree in Business Administration from Minot State University. She comes to Garrison Diversion with an extensive background in business management and will be an asset to the accounting department. We are thankful to have Annie on board at the office, says Duane DeKrey. Her strong business background after working with multiple agencies in various capacities will largely benefit Garrison Diversion. Annie commutes from Sheyenne, where she also serves on the Sheyenne Water Board. 12

13 13 For more information: Kimberly Cook For Immediate Release Garrison Diversion Elects Executive Committee Members CARRINGTON, ND (January 31, 2018) - The Garrison Diversion Conservancy District (Garrison Diversion) held elections for the Executive Committee at their quarterly board meeting. Dave Anderson, Pierce County and Bill Krivarchka, Traill County were re-elected to the Executive Committee and Nancy Marquart, Nelson County, was elected for a two-year term. Dave Anderson, Pierce County, was elected to the board of directors in He has served on multiple committees, including former chair of the Engineering and Operations Committee. Dave will serve as chairman of the Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee. He is an active water advocate, also serving on the Advisory Committee for the Family Farm Alliance. Dave and his wife, Pam, reside in Rugby. Dr. Bill Krivarchka was elected to the board of directors in 2003 and serves the constituents of Traill County. He chairs the Recreation Committee. Dr. Krivarchka is a retired dentist and former president of the Goose River Dental Association. He serves on the Mayville Improvement Association and is past president of MPCG Dollars for Scholars. Dr. Krivarchka is also the Director of the Eastern ND Area Health Education Center (AHEC). He and his wife, Heidi, live in Mayville. Nancy Marquart was elected as the Nelson County representative of the Garrison Diversion board in 2016 and will serve as chair of the Public Relations Committee. Nancy earned her Bachelor s degree in Organizational Management and Communications from Concordia St. Paul. Nancy is dedicated to public service, also serving as a Nelson County Commissioner, a member of the Lake Region Law Enforcement Center Board, the Nelson County Social Services Board and the Nelson County Park Board. Nancy resides in Lakota. Our Executive Committee members are all very dedicated individuals working for the benefit of Garrison Diversion, says Ken Royse, board chairman. We are thankful for the commitment from the seasoned members, and also for the fresh perspective brought to the committee from newcomer Nancy Marquart. The Executive Committee monitors the financials, federal matters and overall operations of the Garrison Diversion Conservancy District. The committee consists of ten members, each serving a two-year term, and is headed by the chairman of the board, Ken Royse, from Burleigh County. The Garrison Diversion Board of Directors has 28 members, each of whom represents a member county. The board works to fulfill Garrison Diversion s mission to provide a reliable, high quality and affordable water supply to benefit the people of North Dakota. 13

14 Anderson re-elected to Garrison Diversion committee - ThePierceCounty of 1 4/2/2018, 4:21 PM 14 February 2, 2018 CARRINGTON, ND (January 30, 2018) - The Garrison Diversion Conservancy District (Garrison Diversion) held elections for the Executive Committee at their quarterly board meeting. Dave Anderson, Pierce County and Bill Krivarchka, Traill County were re-elected to the Executive Committee and Nancy Marquart, Nelson County, was elected for a two-year term. Dave Anderson, Pierce County, was elected to the board of directors in He has served on multiple committees, including former chair of the Engineering and Operations Committee. Dave will serve as chairman of the Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee. He is an active water advocate, also serving on the Advisory Committee for the Family Farm Alliance. Dave and his wife, Pam, reside in Rugby. Dr. Bill Krivarchka was elected to the board of directors in 2003 and serves the constituents of Traill County. He chairs the Recreation Committee. Dr. Krivarchka is a retired dentist and former president of the Goose River Dental Association. He serves on the Mayville Improvement Association and is past president of MPCG Dollars for Scholars. Dr. Krivarchka is also the Director of the Eastern ND Area Health Education Center (AHEC). He and his wife, Heidi, live in Mayville. Nancy Marquart was elected as the Nelson County representative of the Garrison Diversion board in 2016 and will serve as chair of the Public Relations Committee. Nancy earned her Bachelor's degree in Organizational Management and Communications from Concordia - St. Paul. Nancy is dedicated to public service, also serving as a Nelson County Commissioner, a member of the Lake Region Law Enforcement Center Board, the Nelson County Social Services Board and the Nelson County Park Board. Nancy resides in Lakota. "Our Executive Committee members are all very dedicated individuals working for the benefit of Garrison Diversion," says Ken Royse, board chairman. "We are thankful for the commitment from the seasoned members, and also for the fresh perspective brought to the committee from newcomer Nancy Marquart." The Executive Committee monitors the financials, federal matters and overall operations of the Garrison Diversion Conservancy District. The committee consists of ten members, each serving a two-year term, and is headed by the chairman of the board, Ken Royse, from Burleigh County. The Garrison Diversion Board of Directors has 28 members, each of whom represents a member county. The board works to fulfill Garrison Diversion's mission to provide a reliable, high quality and affordable water supply to benefit the people of North Dakota. - Garrison Diversion Conservancy District 14

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19 New Johns Lake produces yet another trophy muskie of 2 4/2/2018, 2:02 PM 19 Brad Dokken Either way, it's one heck of a fish to pull through a hole in the ice. The muskie measured 51 inches and weighed 41.3 pounds. "Yeah, it wasn't too bad," Getz said with a laugh Thursday, March 6, in a phone interview. "I wish they'd give me word" on the test results. That could take several weeks, said Greg Power, fisheries chief for the North Dakota Game and Fish Department in Bismarck. New Johns Lake has both tiger and pure strain muskies, which is why genetic testing is required, Power said. Getz caught the muskie Saturday, Feb. 24, on a herring dunked below a tip-up he had set outside his portable fish house in about 6 feet of water. Getz had the lake to himself that morning and says he'd been fishing about an hour and a half without marking anything on his electronics when he looked out the window of the portable and saw the flag was up on his tip-up. Lifting the tip-up from the hole, Getz says there wasn't any line peeling off the reel, but he could see a marker he'd put on the line to set the depth had disappeared below the ice. "I pulled on the line and sure as (heck), there was some tension there," Getz said. "It honestly felt like a northern ran the line into some trees, and it felt like I was pulling on a log, so I'm like, 'OK, there's something serious on the bottom of this line.'" Then he saw the fish's head at the bottom of the 8-inch hole in the ice. "The hardest part was getting that big head in the hole, and there was probably 30 inches of ice at the time," Getz said. "He took a couple of runs, and that's about it. It took, I bet it wasn't even 15 minutes, to get him in." After determining the muskie met the 48-inch minimum requirement to keep, Getz says he started packing up to head back to Bismarck. "I wish somebody would have been there because I was kind of jumping around on the ice by myself," he said. "It probably would have looked kind of crazy to somebody on shore. There wasn't a soul out there." Weighing in Getz initially brought the fish to a Bismarck convenience store to be weighed, but the scale wasn't big enough and bottomed out. He then contacted a game warden, who recommended weighing the muskie on a certified scale at Butcher Block Meats in Mandan, where the fish weighed 41.3 pounds. Game and Fish collected a tissue sample a few days later for genetic testing. If the fish is found to be a tiger muskie, it will break a record that has stood since June 26, 1975, when Marvin Lee of Rolette, N.D., pulled a 44.8-inch, 40-pound tiger muskie from Gravel Lake in Rolette County. If it's a pure strain muskie, it will fall just short of the 54-inch, 46-pound, 8-ounce muskie Cory Bosch of Mandan caught July 3, 2007 on New Johns Lake. 19

20 New Johns Lake produces yet another trophy muskie of 2 4/2/2018, 2:02 PM 20 Getz is hoping the fish is a tiger muskie so he can land state record bragging rights, but either way, he says, the first muskie he's ever caught is going on the wall. Dakota Head Hunters Taxidermy in Bismarck is mounting the fish, Getz says. "I don't even know if I would have gotten this one back down the hole if I wanted to throw it back," he said. "We measured the fish, and it was about 27 inches inches in diameter at its thickest." Muskie reputation One of the so-called Garrison Diversion Unit lakes, acre New Johns Lake has a reputation for big muskies, Power said. "It's interesting how many big fish that little New Johns Lake has put out for muskies," Power said. "New Johns is probably the only lake I know of in the state where people truly do target muskie, at times, and go up there with the big gear." North Dakota only has "literally a handful" of muskie waters, Power said, all entirely reliant on stocking. Game and Fish is establishing a muskie fishery in Lake Audubon, Power said, and Wood Lake in Benson County and Larimore Dam in Grand Forks County also have gotten limited stockings in recent years. Lakes generally require some depth and a forage base of oily fish such as white suckers or herring for muskies to do well, Power said. New Johns has an average depth of 20.4 feet and a maximum depth of 31.4 feet. "We have a pretty good history of 30-plus-pound muskies coming out of there," Power said. "On the pure muskie, our last four state records all came from New Johns or McClusky Canal," another GDU lake. If tests show Getz's trophy to be a tiger muskie, New Johns will have yet another record to add to its list; time will tell. "That's definitely one of my favorite lakes," Getz said. 20

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24 24 RRVWSP Update for Water Topics Overview Committee Representatives for the Red River Valley Water Supply Project (RRVWSP) recently provided a status update to the Water Topics Overview Committee. Ken Royse, Garrison Diversion Conservancy District (Garrison Diversion) Board Chairman, and Tim Mahoney, Lake Agassiz Water Authority (LAWA) Board Chairman, presented in front of the Committee on February 21. We are thankful for the opportunity to regularly share what s happening with the project. The presentations to the Water Topics Overview Committee keep projects like the RRVWSP and others that receive state funding accountable for moving projects forward, says Mahoney. In addition to explaining how the RRVWSP will provide a supplemental water source to nearly half the population of North Dakota to mitigate the effects of drought and boost industrial development, Mahoney and Royse also illustrated how spending on the project remains on course. The RRVWSP is on track to utilize the $30 million allocated to the RRVWSP in the State Water Commission s budget, which includes $17 million for project planning or permitting and $13 million to initiate construction. Construction is slated to begin on the intake, pipeline with trenchless crossings, and discharge to the Sheyenne River in May of The location of the intake is still being determined. The project team prefers the McClusky Canal option because it will cost $171 million less than building an intake on the Missouri River. The McClusky Canal option would also save $4.3 million in annual pumping costs. Basically, we re focused right now on three key project components - prudent spending, starting strategic construction, and developing a solid financial plan, says Royse. Garrison Diversion and LAWA are working with Ernst & Young Infrastructure Advisors and AE2S Nexus to analyze financial scenarios and develop a financial plan. As we develop this financial plan, we re looking for ways to make this project efficient, affordable, and mitigate risks for all of the entities involved. It needs to be affordable for the end users, or it won t work, says Mahoney. There are currently 20 cities and 15 rural water systems involved in the RRVWSP. In addition to finalizing the financial plan, the project team says the RRVWSP s next steps include acquiring easements and completing the final designs of the pipeline, discharge structure and intake. RRVWSP Discussion at Red River Basin Land & Water International Summit Conference Attendees of the 35 th Annual Red River Basin Land & Water International Summit Conference in Winnipeg had an opportunity to learn about the Red River Valley Water Supply Project (RRVWSP) in January. The co-sponsors of the project, Garrison Diversion Conservancy District (Garrison Diversion) and the Lake Agassiz Water Authority (LAWA) provided 24

25 25 information about the RRVWSP at a booth. Duane DeKrey, Garrison Diversion General Manager, also presented on the RRVWSP at the international conference. DeKrey covered the project s history, need, progress, and plans through We had a lot of good questions from the audience. One of the concerns we hear from Canadians is whether the water will be treated. Yes, it will. The water will be treated to meet permit requirements. We are currently looking at treatment options with our consultants, says DeKrey. Thirty-five communities and water systems have provided initial commitment to the project. The RRVWSP will provide a supplemental water supply to about 50 percent of North Dakota s population, from the central area to the Red River Valley. Anyone interested in the project can keep up with its progress by checking the website at or following RRVWSP on Facebook or Twitter by Red River Valley Water Supply Project Logo Unveiled The Red River Valley Water Supply Project (RRVWSP) now has an official project logo. The water droplet and pipeline imagery represents the water that will be delivered via underground pipes. The colors grey, blue and green represent infrastructure, drought relief and industrial development. The Garrison Diversion Conservancy District and Lake Agassiz Water Authority Boards recently adopted the logo. Due to the high profile nature of this project and the number of people who will benefit from it, we felt it deserved its own logo. The logo can currently be seen on our social media channels, presentations, and informational handouts. In the future, it will also be used on construction signage. Construction is expected to begin next year and wrap up in 2027, says Kimberly Cook, Garrison Diversion Communications Director. Meet Kip Kovar, Deputy Program Manager for RRVWSP Engineering Starting with this issue of the Red River Valley Water Supply Project (RRVWSP) newsletter, we ll be introducing you to the people who are working on this project to make it a success. In our first spotlight you ll meet Kip Kovar, the Garrison Diversion Conservancy District Engineer, who also serves as the Deputy Program Manager for RRVWSP 25

26 26 Engineering. Kip started his career with Garrison Diversion in 2001 after graduating from UND in December 2000 with an engineering degree. As the Deputy Program Manager for RRVWP Engineering, Kip oversees the project s engineering, right-of-way/easement efforts, and construction. Right now he is focused on moving portions of the project to final design, as well as planning and preparing to start construction in the spring of I m proud of the work we ve completed with our project partners so far. It s been a successful team effort and I m excited to see that continue throughout the project, he says. When asked what is one thing about the project that he wishes everyone knew, Kip says he wishes everyone was aware of just how close North Dakota is to having a drought every year. When it is complete, the RRVWSP will provide a supplemental water source to nearly half the population of North Dakota to mitigate the effects of drought. Kip has been married to his wife, Jozie, since The couple has three kids: Kael, 12; Kendall, 10; and Kullen, 4. The family recently added a black lab puppy. The Kovar family loves to fish and spend time at the lake. Kip is also an avid outdoorsman who enjoys hunting, training dogs, and going on backpack archery hunts. 26