| Summary: | In 1995, the North Dakota State Legislature repealed a portion of the North Dakota Century Code dealing with the preservation of wetlands. The National Wildlife Federation interpreted this action as withdrawal of State support for the Statement of Principles and withdrew from the collaborative process. Garrison Diversion Today Today, Garrison Diversion has taken the project one step further. The proposed Garrison Diversion Completion Plan proposed by the District, calls for $400 million in federal appropriations. This would complete a downsized principal water delivery system to provide reliable, high-quality water to the Red River Valley, Devils Lake Basin, and the Oakes Test Area. The District has proposed to replace the Lonetree Reservoir and Sykeston Canal with a 22-mile pipeline that would also be used as a treatment facility to prevent the transfer of biota to the Hudson Bay watershed. The state of North Dakota will be responsible for matching 15 percent of the reimbursable project costs. The State, or its designee, would also be responsible for construction, operation and maintenance. Cost of the existing facilities would be deemed as non-repayable costs. In exchange for de-authorizing the remaining non-Indian federal irrigation acreage, a portion of the Pick-Sloan power revenues for irrigation would be converted to an economic recovery fund. These funds would mainly be used for development and utilization of major MR&I water systems across the state. An additional amount of money from the economic recovery fund would be used for Indian MR&I water systems on the Fort Berthold, Standing Rock and Spirit Lake Reservations. These projects would meet the economic, public health and environmental needs on those reservations and are still in the development process with representatives of the reservations. All of the future Garrison Diversion facilities and programs would meet the requirements from previous legislation and would deliver and meet the demands and needs of the state for a high-quality, reliable source of Missouri River water. 530 Chapter 10 Physical Characteristics
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