“Claiming our share of river” from The Forum, April 21, 2008
Monday, April 21st, 2008
by Lloyd Omdahl
Even though earth warming is expected to melt the polar ice fields and bring unwanted water to our coasts, public officials across the United States are hustling to establish claims on the nation’s water resources. North Dakota has a huge stake in this national frenzy to redistribute water.
The eight states and two Canadian provinces bordering the Great Lakes are now forming the Great Lakes Basin Compact to prevent diversion out of the world’s largest supply of fresh water to other parts of the country. California and Arizona are pressing for changes in the Colorado River Compact to get upper river states to send more water down to the booming southwest.
Georgia, Alabama and Florida are engaged in a water fight over Lake Sidney Lanier water. California and Arizona have been eyeing the Columbia River. States are looking for water in other basins, and the Missouri is not off their screens.
North Dakota’s greatest concern is establishing a claim to its share of the Missouri River.
Because of strong opposition in downstream states to diversion of water from the Missouri, North Dakota has been engaged in a running battle with the Corps of Engineers over its Missouri management plan. We have always felt short-changed by downstream interests.
The Great Lakes states are rushing their compact because they are concerned over the certain decline in congressional representation after the 2010 census.
North Dakota needs to consider its situation in the same light. We may not have the ability to wield political clout over the long haul to guarantee the state its share of a declining water supply.
Even though the Garrison Diversion Project fell apart, the state has been staking some ownership to the Missouri. The visionary water distribution systems involved in the Southwest Water Authority (Dickinson area) and the Northwest Area Water Supply (Minot area) protect a claim against the threat of “use it or lose it.”
The Red River Valley Water Supply Project is shaping up as North Dakota’s latest claim. Under the plan, water would be pumped out of Lake Audubon into the McClusky Canal and piped to the Sheyenne River, where Lake Ashtabula would release water as needed along the Sheyenne and Red rivers.
The project is spurred by the fear that another drought similar to the 1930s would wipe out the economic infrastructure of the Red River Valley, resulting in an economic loss estimated at $2.4 billion annually. Also, the lack of a guaranteed water supply could dissuade industries from locating in eastern North Dakota.
Even under the best of circumstances, the RRVWSP is still years away from staking a claim to the Missouri River. As we argue over the project, we should be aware that our claim to Missouri water grows more tenuous as time passes.
Downstream interests may escalate their claims or transfers out of the Missouri Basin could threaten North Dakota’s claims. We may not have forever to make a final decision.