WASHINGTON – Senator John Hoeven, a member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, this week secured committee passage of his legislation to reauthorize and amend the Dakota Water Resources Act (DWRA). The legislation supports more reliable, drought-resistant water supplies in North Dakota, while helping to fulfill federal compensation that was promised to the state and tribes upon the construction of the Garrison Dam and Oahe Dam. The legislation will now go to the full Senate for consideration.
“North Dakota was promised over a million acres of irrigation as compensation for the loss of approximately 550,000 acres of prime farm land permanently flooded by the creation of the Garrison and Oahe reservoirs, and this legislation will ensure that promise is kept,” said Hoeven. “Our bill helps ensure our communities have water to meet our long-term needs by providing the necessary funding authorizations to support water supply projects across the state, like NAWS and ENDAWS. That’s critical, as ENDAWS will deliver water from the Missouri River to the Red River Valley, ensuring more reliable water supplies for our communities and supporting the state’s long-term growth.”