Garrison Diversion details $1.26 billion Red River Valley water project and asks Griggs County to rejoin Upper Cheyenne board

Representatives from the Upper Cheyenne Joint Water Board and Garrison Diversion told the Griggs County Board of Commissioners on March 10, 2025, that a large regional water project is underway and asked the county to rejoin the Upper Cheyenne board and resume annual dues so local sites can be eligible for restoration work.

The request and presentation covered two linked items: a pitch from the Upper Cheyenne Joint Water Board asking Griggs County to resume partnership and pay annual dues to allow bank-restoration and monitoring work in the county, and a Garrison Diversion overview of the Red River Valley Water Supply Project, including construction timing, pipeline sizing and expected local impacts to county and township roads.

Why it matters: Garrison Diversion officials said the Red River Valley Water Supply Project is being built to supply municipalities through a planned 10-year build and that parts of the work — including an outlet structure and pipe corridor — will run through Griggs County. Upper Cheyenne leaders said the county’s partnership is required for certain grant-funded restoration work within the county.

Thor Bergstrom, vice chair of the Upper Cheyenne Joint Water Board and a member of the Still County Water Board, described changes in the board’s role and capabilities since Griggs County left the Upper Cheyenne partnership. “We’re no longer an advisory pure board,” Bergstrom said, adding the board now retains an attorney and engineers and is active in bank restoration and monitoring.

Bergstrom told commissioners that, because some of the Upper Cheyenne’s grant contracts require county partnership, “if you’re not a partner, we can’t come into your county and do the work.” He and other Upper Cheyenne speakers said the board identified three locations in Griggs County that would qualify for restoration if the county rejoins.

Garrison Diversion staff described the Red River Valley Water Supply Project as a multi-county infrastructure program sized to deliver 65 cubic feet per second in portions of the corridor. Wayne (surname not specified), a Garrison Diversion representative, said, “The total cost of the project is about $1,260,000,000,” and described work already under way, an intake built on the Cheyenne River and 18 miles of pipeline installed so far. He said the program aims for roughly 13 miles of pipeline construction per year and a 10-year build-out, with the project moving into segments in Griggs County if legislative funding continues.

Construction timing and road impacts

Garrison Diversion project staff said bids for Griggs County segments could go out in mid-May or June, with bid openings and awards expected in August and construction likely beginning in earnest next spring. Staff presented a draft road-maintenance agreement and asked the county for guidance on permitting, whether paved roads could be opened by open cut instead of boring, and standards for dust control and end-of-season maintenance.

Project staff told commissioners the pipeline is large (about a 72-inch/6-foot pipe) and that pipe, aggregate and trench spoils will be hauled into and out of work zones. A draft road-maintenance agreement the presenters shared included: pre- and post-construction video and surveys, chloride for dust control, options for county contractors to perform blading paid by Garrison Diversion, end-of-season graveling, and a choice between re-graveling by the project or a cash payment (presenters offered an example payment figure of $10,000 per mile).

On open-cut versus boring across paved roads, Garrison Diversion said open cuts can save “a million dollars” per paved crossing compared with boring, but noted that approvals from state and federal highway authorities — and traffic-control plans or bypasses — would be required. The presenters said they are seeking county rules and permits for road crossings and will meet townships to discuss township-road permits.

Liability, easements and compensation

Presenters said Garrison Diversion will be responsible for crop damage and other project-caused losses. “If we come through and put our pipe in, and the land owner that’s farming that can prove that there’s a loss, if they’re not making what the rest of the field makes, we’ll pay the difference,” a Garrison Diversion project staff member said. Presenters also said crop-damage claims do not expire and that the project carries ongoing responsibilities for repairs and damage that occur during construction and afterward.

Local questions and next steps

Commissioners and local officials asked for: a clear county permit process for road crossings and easements; updated cost estimates; haul-route plans and typical truck counts per mile; recommended timing to limit harvest-season disruption; and assurances about long-term road settling and post-construction repairs.

Garrison Diversion staff said they will provide updated quotes and work with the county and townships on haul plans and permit language. Commissioners scheduled a township meeting the next day for towns and townships to review routes and raise concerns.

Speakers

- Thor Bergstrom — Vice chair, Upper Cheyenne Joint Water Board; Still County Water Board (government) - Troy Brooks — Upper Cheyenne management (government) - Wayne — Garrison Diversion representative (government) - Kip — Garrison Diversion representative (government) - Scott — Garrison Diversion project staff (government) - Representatives of Griggs County commissioners and county staff (unnamed in transcript for some exchanges)

Authorities

- grant (type: "grant"): "grant money" referenced by Upper Cheyenne and Garrison Diversion for bank restoration and related projects (referenced_by: ["garrison-diversion-red-river-project-griggs-county-ask"]) - regulation (type: "other"): Boundary Waters Treaty Act, referenced by Garrison Diversion staff regarding limits on putting raw water into headwaters (referenced_by: ["garrison-diversion-red-river-project-griggs-county-ask"]) - agency (type: "other"): U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (referred to as the Corps) (referenced_by: ["garrison-diversion-red-river-project-griggs-county-ask"]) - agency (type: "other"): North Dakota State Water Commission (referenced_by: ["garrison-diversion-red-river-project-griggs-county-ask"]) - agency (type: "other"): Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) (referenced_by: ["garrison-diversion-red-river-project-griggs-county-ask"]) - agency (type: "other"): U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (referenced_by: ["garrison-diversion-red-river-project-griggs-county-ask"])

Actions

- kind: "other"; motion: "Request by Upper Cheyenne Joint Water Board and Garrison Diversion for Griggs County to consider rejoining the Upper Cheyenne board and resuming annual dues so county sites are eligible for grant-funded restoration work"; mover: "not specified"; second: "not specified"; vote_record: []; tally: {}; outcome: "no_action"; notes: "Presentation and request; no formal county vote recorded during the meeting. County staff asked for follow-up information and will consider membership and permit language."

Clarifying details

- {"category":"dues","detail":"Upper Cheyenne dues quoted in meeting: $19,007.42 over 4 years (stated), equivalent in the presentation to roughly $4,009.35 per year; earlier figures mentioned $5,000–$6,000 per year and other multi-year breakdowns; county staff requested a written breakdown.","value":"19007.42","units":"USD","approximate":true,"source_speaker":"Thor Bergstrom"} - {"category":"project_cost","detail":"Garrison Diversion stated the total project cost is about $1,260,000,000.","value":"1260000000","units":"USD","approximate":true,"source_speaker":"Wayne"} - {"category":"pipeline","detail":"Pipeline diameter referenced as about 72 inches (6 feet), fiber-wrapped steel; pipeline construction pace target ~13 miles per year.","source_speaker":"Garrison Diversion staff"} - {"category":"construction_timeline","detail":"Bids for Griggs County segments potentially in mid-May/June; awards in August; construction likely next spring if funding continues.","source_speaker":"Garrison Diversion staff"} - {"category":"road_maintenance_options","detail":"Pre/post video surveys; chloride dust control; blading paid by project; end-of-season graveling or $10,000 per mile cash option; contractor hauling to occur mostly outside harvest where possible.","source_speaker":"Garrison Diversion staff"}

Proper_names

[{"name":"Griggs County","type":"location"},{"name":"Upper Cheyenne Joint Water Board","type":"organization"},{"name":"Garrison Diversion","type":"organization"},{"name":"Devil's Lake outlet","type":"location"},{"name":"Bald Hill Dam","type":"facility"},{"name":"Valley City","type":"location"},{"name":"Cooperstown","type":"location"},{"name":"Fargo","type":"location"},{"name":"Grand Forks","type":"location"},{"name":"Washburn","type":"location"},{"name":"U.S. Army Corps of Engineers","type":"organization"},{"name":"North Dakota State Water Commission","type":"organization"},{"name":"Natural Resources Conservation Service","type":"organization"},{"name":"U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service","type":"organization"}]

community_relevance

{"geographies":["Griggs County","Barnes County","Nelson County","Foster County"],"funding_sources":["state grants","Garrison Diversion grants","pilot project funds"],"impact_groups":["township road users","farmers with fields adjacent to pipeline routes","local recreation users","municipal water users"]}

meeting_context

{"engagement_level":{"speakers_count":12,"duration_minutes":93,"items_count":3},"implementation_risk":"medium","history":[{"date":"prior meeting","note":"Upper Cheyenne and Garrison Diversion previously briefed county; county had been a member in earlier years"}]}

searchable_tags":["water_infrastructure","pipeline","Garrison_Diversion","Upper_Cheyenne","road_impacts","Griggs_County"]

provenance":{"transcript_segments":[{"block_id":"block_474.41","local_start":0,"local_end":177,"evidence_excerpt":"This is Troy Brooks from here from upper Cheyenne management. Yeah. Greg.","tc_start":"00:07:54","tc_end":"00:08:00","reason_code":"topicintro"},{"block_id":"block_3394.795","local_start":0,"local_end":67,"evidence_excerpt":"I'll be there. So...Thank you. Yeah. Thank you very much. Appreciate it.","tc_start":"00:56:34","tc_end":"00:56:42","reason_code":"topicfinish"}]}

salience

{"overall":0.78,"overall_justification":"Large regional water-supply project, major construction expected in-county, potential road and farm impacts and multi-hundred-million-dollar budget make this important to local government and residents.","impact_scope":"regional","impact_scope_justification":"Project serves multiple counties and major municipalities; construction will pass through Griggs County.","attention_level":"high","attention_level_justification":"Direct local impacts to roads, farms and county permitting; funding and construction timeline require county decision-making.","novelty":0.65,"novelty_justification":"Project has been in planning but is entering construction phases that affect Griggs County directly.","timeliness_urgency":0.80,"timeliness_urgency_justification":"Bids expected in weeks to months; county action on permits and membership may unlock grant work for local sites."}