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New Water Resources director presents statewide water needs, proposes BND line of credit and project bonds
Summary
Department of Water Resources director described a 14‑year plan with roughly $3.4 billion in state shares needed to meet identified water projects, proposed a Bank of North Dakota $200 million line of credit for cash‑management and project bonding for Southwest Pipeline, and identified managed aquifer recharge and data expansion as priorities.
Reese (Director, Department of Water Resources) told the Appropriations Committee the department has reorganized and is laying out a multi‑year strategy for state water development that includes new investments, data collection and an approach to speed project delivery.
The department’s reorganization (House Bill 13‑53) combined responsibilities previously split among state entities. Reese said the Resources Trust Fund — a constitutionally rooted fund largely supported by oil‑extraction tax revenue — remains the primary source for state water project cost‑share. “Our department today is split into 6 different divisions,” he said, introducing the department’s regulatory, planning, development and data teams.
Why it matters: the department summarized a 14‑year inventory of projects that, on the department’s modeling, would require about $3.4 billion in state shares (roughly $5.2 billion total project cost including local and federal shares). The presentation addressed how to accelerate long‑running projects, manage cash and preserve buying power amid inflation.
Key technical and budget points
- Resource scale and use:…
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