December 22, 1944 - Pick-Sloan Flood Control Act was Authorized in Section 9(a) of the Flood Control Act of 1944.
July 18, 1955 - First meeting of the Board of Directors of the Garrison Diversion Conservancy District held at Harvey, with Governor Norman Brunsdale calling the meeting to order. District consisted of 22 counties.
July 21, 1955 - Resolution passed to levy tax of 1/10 mill on all real and personal property within the district boundaries, which would produce the necessary income of the $33,593 required to operate the district for the period of July 18, 1955, to December 31, 1956.
January 12, 1956 - Board passed resolution January 12, 1956, requesting legislation and appropriate funds for the establishment of Development Farms throughout the Garrison Diversion Project area.
February 7, 1956 - Received a resolution and petition from Traill County Board of County Commissioners requesting Conservancy District boundaries be modified to include Traill County. By resolution introduced by Director James Erickson, April 17, 1956, District boundaries were modified to include Traill County.
July 12, 1956 - Decision to the Board to support legislation by Congress that would provide fair reimbursement to all landowners in the project area for canal and reservoir right-of-way whether or not a reservation of such right-of-way existed under the Act of 1890.
October 10, 1956 - Richland County presented a petition and Resolution requesting the boundaries of the Conservancy District be modified to include Richland County. Board passed a resolution to do so.
March 27, 1957 - Resolution passed by Board modifying boundaries to include Steele County. Board agreed to have North Dakota Congressional delegation introduce legislation in Congress to reaffirm authorization for the Garrison Diversion Unit.
July 1, 1957 - Senate Bill 1932 and House Bill 7068 introduced in Congress modifying project authorization by Senator Milton Young and Representative Krueger.
October 30, 1957 - Hearings for authorization of the Garrison Diversion Unit (HR7068) scheduled for Devils Lake by the House Appropriations Committee. The hearing attracted over 2,000 supporters, and was the largest field hearing in the committee's history by the Honorable Wayne Aspinall of Colorado, Chairman.
January 27-28, 1959 - Senate Bill (SB154) passed. A bill was introduced in State Legislature that would provide for election and terms of office of directors for the Garrison Diversion Conservancy District on a no party ballot. Terms of office 4 years. Those taking office in 1961 would determine length by drawing lots, half to serve for two years, the remainder four. The same bill would amend the powers and duties of Conservancy District directors giving them the authority to become the operating organization for the Garrison Diversion Unit. It also authorized 1/10 mill levy for next 2 years.
1962 - State Legislation Bills 301 and 302 passed, giving Conservancy District authority to invest funds and provide directors election procedures in the event there was no nomination in primary.
October 31, 1961 - Cost participation makes Fish & Wildlife an integral part of Garrison Diversion Unit. Senator Quentin Burdick stated Conservancy District should go on record supporting Fish & Wildlife as it is very attractive to many Congressmen.
National Fish & Wildlife Federation, Izaak Walton League of America and Ducks Unlimited have sent letters to Fish & Wildlife (James McBroom) supporting Garrison Diversion.
April 5, 1962 - President Kennedy in Conservation Message to Congress specifically mentioned Garrison Diversion Unit as a project that should be authorized by Congress this session.
January 30-31, 1963 - House Bill 538 passed clarifying 1/10 of a mill Garrison Diversion Conservancy District Levy and the broadening of authority of Conservancy District to establish Reserve Funds.
June 6, 1963 - Senate held hearings on Garrison Diversion Unit.
February 18, 1964 - Senate approved S-178 which authorized the Garrison Diversion Unit. It eliminated local review of Fish & Wildlife areas and the authority to purchase all canal right-of-way.
June 24, 1964 - House Interior & Insular Affairs Committee approves Garrison Diversion Unit Bill.
July 29-30, 1965 - Garrison Diversion Unit passed by both House and Senate. Now awaiting President's signature.
August 5, 1965 - President Lyndon Johnson signed a bill authorizing Garrison Diversion Unit.
Board passes resolution approving form of repayment contracts and asks Secretary of Interior to approve same.
November 19, 1965 - Carrington selected for Conservancy District headquarters site.
January 26-27, 1966 - Master Contract and 3-way Contracts signed by Roy Holand and Bureau of Reclamation Regional Director, Harold Aldrich.
February 15, 1966 - Master Contract, which was signed by Conservancy District and United States, was approved by Field Solicitor of Department of Interior.
July 14, 1968 - Ground breaking of Snake Creek Pumping Plant.
April 10, 1969 - State legislature passed Bill 439 allowing Conservancy District to participate in research activities and allow them to cooperate with various state and federal agencies for purposes related to Garrison Diversion Unit.
May 10, 1970 - Ground breaking ceremonies were held for the McClusky Canal. Actual construction on McClusky Canal started May 1, 1970.
January 1972 - Conservancy District goes on record in opposition to the use of 7 percent as interest rate in discounting water benefits of water resources project as proposed by the Water Resources Council.
January 9-10, 1973 - Board reviewed Committee to Save North Dakota requests from an injunction to halt construction on the Garrison Diversion Unit.
December 1973 - The Farmers Union, at its annual meeting, adopted resolution requesting a one year moratorium on the Garrison Diversion Unit.
Board approved such action as may be necessary to intervene through the Attorney General in the suit by the Committee to Save North Dakota against the Bureau of Reclamation to halt construction on the Garrison Diversion Unit.
March 28-29, 1973 - Board was informed the District Court had denied the motion of the Committee to Save North Dakota for a temporary injunction and that the Committee to Save North Dakota appealed the denial.
July 10-11, 1973 - Circuit Court of Appeals denied the appeal for a temporary injunction and remanded the case back to the District Court with direction to hear evidence on any motions the Committee to Save North Dakota may file.
January 9-10, 1975 - Committee to Save North Dakota court action for temporary injunction denied. However, the request for a permanent injunction was appealed to the Circuit Court at St. Louis.
April 2-3, 1975 - House Bill 1230 passed enlarging duties and responsibilities to include administrative aid and assistance in the relocation of buildings and the replacement of land to persons affected by the development of the Garrison Diversion Unit.
Canadian and American governments agree to refer the Souris matter to the International Joint Commission.
October 2-3, 1975 - Senate Bill 2311 was introduced by Senator Burdick to increase the re-investment period from two to four years for those losing land to public works projects. This bill was drafted at the recommendation of the Conservancy District.
The Board approved the following actions:
1. Request for Congressional delegation to work on changing the relocation act to include all farm buildings.
2. Request our Congressional delegation work on the development of legislation authorizing the Bureau of Reclamation to exchange lands.
3. Request our Congressional delegation to provide appropriations for land acquisition two years in advance of construction.
July 1-2, 1976 - A suit was filed by Audubon Society in Washington against the Bureau of Reclamation to stop construction on the Garrison Diversion Unit. Board authorized officers to take necessary actions to defend the Conservancy District's interests.
October 7-8, 1976 - Board approved action that before they will accept the Environmental Impact Statement for the Central Division, all lands required for fish and wildlife will be identified.
October 7, 1976 - Board adopted a resolution stating its policy that no land be taken except from willing sellers for fish and wildlife mitigation. Taking of prime crop production land for this purpose also was barred under policy.
December 2, 1976 - Construction work was completed in record time on the Wintering Dam, for which the contract had been awarded on August 29, 1975. The dam is the first major impoundment feature to be completed for the Lonetree Reservoir.
February 19, 1977 - Garrison Diversion Unit placed on Carter Administration "hit list" and funding deleted.
March 22, 1977 - Interior Secretary Cecil Andrus holds public hearing on Garrison Diversion's status at Jamestown.
May 11, 1977 - Stipulation and Order signed by National Audubon Society and the Secretary of the Interior staying proceedings in the case and halting most Garrison Diversion construction work until a supplemental environmental statement could be prepared and filed with Congress.
June 16, 1977 - State of North Dakota filed petition with the Supreme Court of North Dakota seeking to force the U.S. Government to carry out its contractual responsibilities under the Master Contract with the State and the Conservancy District.
October 6, 1977 - Board meeting in Fargo reaffirmed its position in favor of a 250,000-acre irrigation and multipurpose Garrison Diversion Plan as authorized in 1965.
January 23, 1978 - President Carter submits proposed budget for fiscal year 1979 without funds for Garrison Diversion.
August 9, 1978 - Senate passed Resolution 525 refusing President's request to defer spending of Garrison funds.
October 12, 1978 - Contract awarded for earthwork and structures for a fish screen testing facility on a turnout from the McClusky Canal, north of the city of Turtle Lake. (Test screen operated successfully during the summers of 1979, 1980 and 1981, with the water moving through the test screen freshening Lake Brekken and raising its water level to the height envisioned for recreational purposes).
February 1, 1979 - Supplemental Draft Environmental Statement completed by Bureau of Reclamation and filed by Interior Secretary Andrus with Congress, along with proposed legislation for reauthorization of project, as stipulated by May 11, 1977, order of U.S. District Court Judge Charles Richey. The proposal was never acted upon by Congress.
May 6, 1981 - Acting on an appeal by the National Audubon Society, U.S. District Court Judge Charles Richey declared that the Stipulation and Order of May 11, 1977, was valid and ordered all project design and construction work to cease.
May 23, 1981 - A special report on phase development of the Garrison Diversion Unit prepared by Bureau of Reclamation, calling for the initial development of 85,460 acres of irrigation, all within the Missouri River drainage basin. Phase II, including the remaining 165,540 irrigation acres of the authorized plan, would be added later. The Phase I development includes, at the outset, completion of the 5,000-acre West Oakes Irrigation Test Area which is designed, as recommended by the International Joint Commission, to test irrigation return flows in relationship to the 1909 Boundary Waters Treaty between the United States and Canada.
January 6, 1982 - A special federal-state committee was created to address the issue of wildlife mitigation lands for the first 85,000-acre phase of the project with emphasis on improving wildlife production and carrying capacity through intensive management of lands already in the hands of the federal government for fish and wildlife purposes. Time allotted to completion of the report was 11 months, with the stipulation that any plan developed would have to be acceptable to the State of North Dakota. The Conservancy District's firm policy of acquisition of mitigation lands from willing sellers only remained in effect.
January 29, 1982 - The Circuit Court of Appeals in Washington, D.C., voted to lift the injunction imposed by Federal Judge Richey against project construction in the case brought by the National Audubon Society. The stay of the injunction was granted pending final disposition of the appeal of the State of North Dakota and the U.S. Government against the injunction.
April 1, 1982 - Motion supporting South Dakota's request from Congress for funds for a feasibility study on all aspects of the proposed extension of the GDU.
Board voted to support Gov. Olson's Policy Statement — Missouri River Water use, Jan. 28, 1982. (It is the official policy position of the Governor of North Dakota that the action by Congress embodied in the Flood Control Act of 1944, as amended, resulted in a major allocation of the waters of the Missouri River among the basin states. Completion of the Pick-Sloan Missouri River Basin program, of which the Garrison Diversion Unit is an integral part, is a matter of priority. Any attempt to change the allocation of the waters already approved by the Congress is considered not to be in the best interests of the state).
April, 1983 - Murray Sagsveen, GDCD Attorney, updated the Board on Court Cases — Devils Lake Parl Board vs. Garcia, North Dakota v. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. James River Flood Control Association has appealed Judge Porter's decision to the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals Challenging the adequacy of the Environmental Impact Statement and at the same time says an impact statement for the 85,000-acre first phase should be written.
House Bill 1256 which designates the Missouri River as a scenic recreation and free flowing river was defeated by the House.
House Concurrent 3047 urging a study of alternatives for Garrison Diversion was defeated by House.
Senate Bill 2064 — updated the irrigation district law has been signed by the Governor.
Senate Bill 2470 which would designate part of the Sheyenne River as a scenic river was defeated by the Senate.
Senate Concurrent Resolution 4011 which endorsed Governor Olson's policy — concerning priorities and use of the water of the Missouri River and supporting the GDU and 4031 urging the Secretary of Interior to adopt North Dakota's proposal for phased development, were passed.
October 5-6, 1983 - Directors passed a motion at Attorney Sagsveen's request to prepare a final draft of the supplemental agreement to the Master Contract, to the extent we could with the Department of the Interior, to adopt the phased implementation and mitigation plan.
January 5-6, 1984 - Senate Bill 1739 has been reported out of Committee and contains language restating the Pick-Sloan Plan and the O'Mahoney-Milliken Amendment, pointing out the contributions made by the upper states. The O'Mahoney-Milliken Amendment gave priority of water use in the Missouri Basin.
Two bills in regard to South Dakota have been introduced — one, to authorize CENDAK as part of the Pick-Sloan Unit and the other the Lake Andes Unit as part of the Pick-Sloan Plan.
Bureau of Reclamation reported in the past year there have been four major active contracts. Oakes Pumping Plant, which is 70 percent complete; Oakes drains, which are 50 percent complete; Reach 1B of the New Rockford Canal, which is 60 percent complete; and Lonetree Dam, which is 18 percent complete. There have also been some considerable progress in land acquisition for mitigation for the Lonetree Reservoir and West Oakes drains.
Awarding of a contract for the West Oakes distribution system should be in Feb., 1984 and a contract for Reach 1A of the New Rockford Canal to be let sometime this summer.
July 5-6, 1984 - James River Flood Control Case requests construction cease until another environmental impact statement is developed as well as claims the first phase (85,000 acres) has not been authorized. Judge Porter's first decision was appealed but sent back by the Appeals Court for reconsideration.
In the Matter of the Ownership of the Bed of Devils Lake, they are in the process of identifying owners around the lake and all have been served notice. Related to this now is the 101 Ranch Case since the Devils Lake Sioux Tribe has now asked to intervene. Attorney Sagsveen pointed out this is a much larger case than when the Conservancy District intervened. Two new issues arise, those being the lake bed is owned in trust by the U.S. Government for the Sioux Tribe and the boundary extends into the city limits of Devils Lake.
A 12-man committee was selected by the Secretary of the Interior to review the Garrison Diversion Unit and possible alternatives.
Construction on the Lonetree Dam and James River Dike is 40 percent complete and by September 30 , when funds are depleted, it should be 60 percent complete. The bid in at $12,167,864.00. Reach 1B of the New Rockford Canal, cost of about $6.3 million, is 60 percent complete and should be 75 percent complete by Sept. 30. The Oakes Pumping Plant will be about 85 percent complete by Sept. 30. The distribution system, which has a cost of $9.63 million, will be 40 percent complete by Sept.30 and the drainage contract about 90 percent by the time construction funds are depleted.
Board drafted a resolution to indicate that reciprocity is not being practiced by Canadians in their opposition to Garrison.
December 13, 1984 - Commission Hearing will be held on the Garrison Diversion Project.
January 3-4, 1985 - Discussed the Commission Hearings and the resolution drafted by Audubon at the Minot hearing that really harmed us.
Reviewed the Proposed Policy Statement by the GDCD Board concerning the GDU Commission Recommendation to the Secretary of the Interior.
April 4-5, 1985 - The James River case has been dismissed.
Attorney Sagsveen made reference to Senate Concurrent Resolution 4010 — Resolution designating the construction and completion of the federally authorized and funded GDU as having first and highest priority for water development in ND.
Senate Concurrent Resolution 408 — reaffirming legislative support for Garrison Diversion and the Lonetree Reservoir, and requesting the Governor to initiate a study of the possible adverse effects of transfers of fish species, biota and pathogens from Missouri River Basin to the Hudson Bay Drainage Basin. Passed.
July 8-9, 1985 - Board approved as policy statement which urged the Congressional Delegation and the Governor to (1) Continue discussions with National Audubon Society to develop acceptable language to implement the GDU Commission's recommendations, (2) support language in the FY 86 appropriations bill as proposed by Senators Burdick and Andrews on July 5, and (3) introduce in Senate a bill which would authorize the Secretary to implement the Commission's recommendations as modified by State M&I proposal. The Board will not support legislation which would deauthorize any feature of the GDU.
Bureau reported Reach 1B of New Rockford Canal is 75 percent complete, Oakes area, including Oakes Pumping Plant 95 percent complete and drain for first 5,000 acres is 75 percent complete. They opened bids for delivery system at a low bid of $9,345,000.
This year contained a lot of discussions with Audubon over deauthorization of certain parts of GDU. Irrigation feature from 250,000 acres to 130,000 and Sykeston Canal replacing Lonetree Reservoir.
Board withdrew support to develop Rush Lake for fish and Wildlife.
January 5-6, 1985 - Bureau reported construction has shut down for winter. Oakes Pumping Plant is complete except for minor items and Reach 1B of New Rockford Canal is 96 percent complete. The New Rockford office building is 35 percent complete and 25 percent of Reach 1A of the New Rockford Canal is complete. The Draft Environmental State has be completed and is being review in Washington. The Final is to be complete in February.
Burdick-Miller Bill (Senate Bill 1785) sometimes known as Audubon Bill. This bill deauthorized many features of our bill (repealing the 1944 Act and 1965 reauthorization) making it more of a wildlife project. It did not deauthorize Lonetree Reservoir but cut all funding to finish it. Also comparison between Lonetree and Sykeston Canal was started.
April 3-4, 1986 - Burdick-Miller Bill — National interest declaration for irrigation had been deleted and that a $12 million Wetlands Trust was created. It deleted portions of the 1944 and 1965 Acts and generally adopts the Commission Plan recommendations for fish and wildlife. It also authorizes $200 million for MR&I.
Board approved and agreement between GDCD Board and State Water Commission concerning the MR&I Water Program authorized by Public Law 99-294.
April 9-10, 1987 - Attorney Sagsveen reported 101 Ranch Case trial was held in Fargo and the Judge will make a decision which won't be done for months. Bed of Devils Lake case ruled in favor of landowners, which means we do not own the land up to the meander line but to the high water mark. The Committee agreed to appeal this to Supreme Court.
Attorney Sagsveen reviewed Senate Bill 2507. (This bill established no net loss wetlands policy, a wetlands bank, gaining support from wildlife community for a Mid-Dakota Reservoir and relief from certain regulation in the Swampbuster bill). It was defeated in Senate and was agreed by Governor to amend Senate Bill 2035(this bill includes Swampbuster and support for Mid-Dakota Reservoir) to include Senate Bill 2507 and thought it would pass.
Sept. 29-30, 1987 - The Mid-Dakota Reservoir was proposed around this time. It was the Conservancy District's plan to develop a mid-size reservoir in lieu of Sykeston Canal.
Burleigh County interested in petitioning into Conservancy District.
Jan. 7-8, 1988 - Burleigh County petitioned into District.
July 7-8, 1988 - Board introduced a resolution making an eight-tenths mill levy on all real property within District.
Kraft Slough has become big cause for environmentalists. Principal problem is inclusion of agricultural land, taxes and a relocation.
In the Bed of Devils Lake ownership is to be determined by the elevation of the water, but could be appealed.
The 101 Ranch case ruling is basically the same as the Bed of Devils Lake case, that being the landowners have riparian rights. The individual owns the land up to the water and the state owns that below.
Bureau Project Manager presented costs on the three alignments which run from $48 million to $173 million with operation and maintenance costs ranging from $540,000 annually for the northern route to $833,000 for Missouri Basin Route. The Bureau recommends the northern route.
Senate Bill 2328-(signed by Governor Sinner on April 12, 1989, and effective July 1, 1989) Transfers management of sovereign lands (included lakebeds of navigable rivers and lakes in the GDCD) to the state engineer. The management of the underlying minerals was transferred to the Land Department.
July 6-7, 1989 - Attorney Sagsveen reported to the Board that as of July 1, 1989, the management of lakes and streams had been transferred to the State Engineer, so our responsibility with this will be less in the cases pending.
July 5-6, 1990 - Bureau reported the New Rockford Canal is scheduled for completion by September 30, 1991.
July 18, 1990 - A special meeting was held to discuss budget and introduced a resolution making a one-mill levy on all real property with the GDCD.
October 4-5, 1990 - Started discussing taking over operation and maintenance of project to begin around April 1, 1991.
April 4-5, 1991 - MR&I program share went from 75%-25% to 65%-35%.
Plans for development and acquisition of Kraft Slough have been finalized. Kraft Slough is an issue in retaining support form the National Audubon Society and the National Wildlife Federation.
July 11-12, 1991 - New Rockford Canal is scheduled to be completed by Nov. 1991.
October 10-11, 1991 - Bureau reported New Rockford Canal is 99 percent complete and final inspection is in a week.
GDCD has officially taken over Operation and Maintenance of the McClusky Canal and New Rockford Canal, etc.
Southwest Pipeline Dedication on October 23, 1991.
April 2-3, 1992 - Went over proposed amendments to the GDU Reformulation Act of 1986.
1992 - They spent a lot of time going to Washington and meeting with Congressman Miller, The National Audubon Society and National Wildlife Federation, first they said they would support a study of Mid-Dakota. They still will move forward with the study of Sykeston Canal and EIS which they will support.
Oct. 1-2, 1992 - Discussed starting the development of the Environmental Impact Statement on alternatives to the proposed Sykeston Canal.
Bureau of Reclamation was 90 years old in 1992.
January 7-8, 1993 - Starting making plans for the Sivert Thompson Visitor Center in Devils Lake.
July 1, 1993 - Board passed Joint Resolution No. 93-7-461 to encourage the Comprehensive Evaluation of all Possible Options for the completion of the Principle Water Delivery System of the GDU.
It was announced the Harvey Bureau office would be closing.
October 7, 1993 - Dedication — Lonetree Wildlife Management Area
April 8, 1994 - Board approved the MR&I Priority System.
1994 - Started working on Collaborative Process.
Bid was awarded for Grahman's Island Visitors Center.
April 6-7, 1995 - Repeal of no net loss(HB 1305) passed and has been signed by the Governor. Garrison Diversion worked hard to defeat this repeal.
Oct.12-13, 1995 - Board voted to endorse the proposed legislation package which deauthorized the irrigation acreage, with the provision that adequate capacity is assured in the pipeline to handle future needs. Mr. Jamison said the package would deauthorize the specific acreage but not the function of irrigation.
1996 - Working on Legislation for Garrison Diversion.
April 3-4, 1996 - Board made a motion to approve the power resolution supporting inquiry into the availability of WAPA revenues for North Dakota water projects.
Made a motion to approve the Easement for Water Storage pertaining to Stump Lake.
October 3-4, 1996 - Board approved the resolution in support of the Garrison Diversion Unit Completion package.
Board made a motion to approve the resolution describing the District's non-negotiable issues in regard to the completion plan.
July 1-2, 1997 - Lonetree Wildlife Management Area was officially transferred to the State Game and Fish Department on January 1, 1997.
December 5, 1997 - Board approved the resolutions supporting S1515 (Dakota Water Resources Act of 1997) by Senators Conrad and Dorgan and HR 3012 by Congressman Pomeroy.
January 5-6, 1998 - A resolution was prepared requesting that the ND Farm Bureau reconsider its policy action taken on Garrison Diversion at their annual convention.
April 8&9, 1998 - NWRA has had a long-standing rule not to support individual projects. They made an exception and adopted a resolution, which resulted in a letter, supporting both Garrison Diversion and Animas La Plata. This is a significant step.
The ND Irrigation Caucus was formed in December 1998.
April 8-9, 1999 - Bill 1281, an irrigation district bonding bill, is an effort for the Water Commission to use its credit enhancement to provide more favorable financing for irrigation districts. This bill was passed with an interim bonding authority for rural water systems to use federal funds for repayment, which is the Promised Payment Plan. This bill still needs the Governor's signature.
October 7-8, 1999 - SB2188 — The State, through the tobacco settlement fund, will allocate $320 million for water development over the next 25 years. North Dakota may be the only state that will use a portion of the funds for water development.
January 7, 2000 - Board approved a consulting contract with Fermata, Inc., to prepare an initial study on public use for Lonetree Wildlife Management Area.
April 6-7, 2000 - The Board discussed to Warren Act. The intention of the Act was to give the Secretary the authority to negotiate for use of excess capacity that may be in the facilities constructed by the Bureau. This would make full use of the government's investments in a way that is not negative to their primary partner. This is important to the District because of the excess capacity on the McClusky and New Rockford Canals.
The other issue us the difference between project and non-project water. This is critical to the District because the McLean-Sheridan Rural Water System has looked at taking water out of the McClusky Canal. The Warren Act would make this possible.
December 15, 2000 - DWRA Bill passed!!!
Devils Lake Court Case — The state has won the court case, but Spirit Lake Nation will appeal. If the Tribe wins, they would own land to the northern shore of Devils Lake, which would put their reservation boundary in the city of Devils Lake.
Oct. 12-13, 2000 - The Board was briefed on the CARA Bill (Conservation and Reinvestment Act) which has the potential of bringing a lot of money to North Dakota for wildlife and nature-based activities.
April 11-12, 2001 – The board approved a resolution supporting
a fair, objective Red River Valley analysis to determine the best way to meet
current and future water needs of the Valley.
January 2, 2003 – The board affirmed the designation that the Garrison
Diversion Conservancy District will represent the State as the joint lead with
the Department of Interior, acting through the Bureau of Reclamation in preparing
the Red River Valley Water Supply Project Environmental Impact Statement.
April 10, 2003 – McKenzie and Williams Counties’ petitions
to join the Garrison Diversion Conservancy District were approved by the board.
April 10, 2003 – The board approved a resolution to be sent to
the State Water Commission supporting the restructuring of an irrigation development
plan for North Dakota and that the North Dakota Irrigation Caucus be renamed
the North Dakota Irrigation Development Association.
October 2, 2003 – The board approved up to 1,600 acres for Sioux Irrigation District as part of the authorized 28,000 undesignated acres of the Dakota Water Resources Act and GDU Reformulation Act eligible for project pumping power, contingent upon subsequent agreement among the Bureau of Reclamation, the Garrison Diversion Conservancy District and Sioux Irrigation District, subject to the finding of financial and economic feasibility and development of those acres.
October 2, 2003 – The board approved a motion in support of Senate Bill 900 and House Bill 2257, authorizing title transfer of the Lower Yellowstone Irrigation District in Montana and North Dakota.
July 8, 2004 – The board approved a motion to support the Water Infrastructure Revitalization Act introduced by Senator Conrad which authorizes $60 million through the Corps of Engineers to assist communities in North Dakota with water supply and treatment projects.
January 5, 2005 – The board approved up to 740 acres for the Yellowstone Pumping Irrigation District and 2,757 acres for the Cartwright Irrigation District as part of the authorized 28,000 undesignated acres in the Dakota Water Resources Act eligible for project pumping power contingent upon subsequent agreements between the Bureau of Reclamation, Garrison Diversion Conservancy District and the Yellowstone Pumping Irrigation and Cartwright Districts, subject to the timely development of said acres.
April 6, 2005 – The Public Relations Committee was renamed the Public Relations and Red River Valley Committee.
October 7, 2005 - Garrison Diverison Board of Directors selectes the GDU Import to the Sheyenne River Alternative as the state's preferred alternative for the Red River Valley Water Supply Project.