Reclamation Signs Northwest Area Water Supply Project Record Of Decision

The Bureau of Reclamation recently signed a Record of Decision selecting the preferred alternative proposed for the Northwest Area Water Supply Project (NAWS). The project is designed to deliver a bulk water supply to meet municipal and rural water needs of people in northwestern North Dakota.

The Record of Decision was signed by Reclamation's Great Plains Regional Director Michael J. Ryan, and would implement the preferred alternative identified in the NAWS Project Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS).

"The project was authorized because existing water supplies are not of sufficient quality or quantity to reliably meet current needs or projected growth," said Ryan. "This decision marks another step in our efforts to bring reliable, quality water to the people of northwest North Dakota."

The selected alternative, which was evaluated in the SEIS, uses Lake Sakakawea as the primary water supply. Reclamation's Snake Creek Pumping Plant, located along U.S. Highway 83, will be modified to serve as the intake for the project. Water from Lake Sakakawea will be conveyed in a buried pipeline to a biota water treatment plant (WTP) near Max, North Dakota which will treat the water using conventional treatment processes. From there the water will be conveyed through another pipeline segment to the Minot WTP. At the Minot WTP, Missouri River water will be blended with groundwater and treated to meet Safe Drinking Water Act regulations before being supplied to project members through a distribution system.

"This is a culmination of local, state and federal entities partnering together to manage and develop water resources in an environmentally sound manner," said David Rosenkrance, Reclamation's Dakotas Area Manager.

The signing of the Record of Decision completes the requirements for the National Environmental Policy Act. It also fulfills Reclamation's obligation under a court order related to an ongoing lawsuit filed in the United States District Court. The lawsuit was filed by the Province of Manitoba and the State of Missouri challenging previous environmental studies completed for the project. Because of the ongoing litigation and the injunction in place preventing any construction activity on NAWS, the District Court for the District of Columbia, will need to rule on the adequacy of Reclamation's environmental analysis pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act before construction could move forward.

About Bureau of Reclamation
Reclamation is the largest wholesale water supplier and the second largest producer of hydroelectric power in the United States, with operations and facilities in the 17 Western States. Its facilities also provide substantial flood control, recreation, and fish and wildlife benefits. For more information, visit www.usbr.gov.