09.19.14

Hoeven Meets with Top Corps Officials on Souris River Basin Flood Management Priorities

WASHINGTON – Senator John Hoeven this week met with Col. Daniel Koprowski, Commander of the St. Paul District from the Army Corps of Engineers to press the Corps to move forward flood protection plans for the Minot region.

“We met with Col. Koprowski to ensure the Corps is moving forward with flood protection projects for the Souris River Basin,” said Hoeven. “The Minot area is coming back better than ever following historic flood in 2011. We need to ensure that we put in place a comprehensive flood protection plan to protect the community as efficiently and effectively as possible and the Corps plays a big role in that.”

Hoeven said comprehensive flood protection for the Minot area should be a three-part strategy:

• Updating the international agreement with Canada on management of Souris River flows. Hoeven included $250,000 in the Fiscal Year 2015 State Department appropriations bill to fund studies with Canada on Souris River management.

• Increasing water retention and storage capacity at Lake Darling and upper basin reservoirs, where possible.

• Infrastructure and permanent flood protections in the Minot region running from Burlington through Velva.

The senator also pressed the Corps to begin a feasibility study on long term Souris River flood protection and encouraged the Corps to work with local officials to approve modifications to existing flood control structures that will improve flood protection for local residents.