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Red River Basin Commission
September 3, 2009
EX Officio Board Meeting – Courtyard by Marriott
Moorhead, Minnesota
Draft Minutes
Directors/Alternates Present: Joe Belford, ND Counties; Glen Brookshire, ND Cities; Jeff Browaty, MB Cities;
Kevin Burg, ND Cities; Jerry Dahl, MN Counties; Brian Dwight, MN State; Jon Evert, MN counties; John Falk,
MB Municipalities; Tom Fischer, ND Water Resource Districts; Dave Glatt, ND State; Jake Gust, ND At-Large;
Melissa Hotain, First Nations; Laurie Hunt, MB Municipalities; Lee Klapprodt, ND State; Kurtiss Krasnesky, MB
Municipalities; Hank Ludtke, MN Cities; Jim Lyons, ND Water Resource Districts; Herm Martens, MB
Municipalities; Stephanie Miranowski, MN Counties; Don Norquay, MB Provincial; Bud Oliver, MB Cities; Bill
Paulishyn, MB At-Large: Sam Schellenberg, MB Water Cooperative; Lynn Schlueter, ND State; Warren
Seykora, MN At-Large; Muriel Smith, MB Provincial; Paul Swenson, MN State; Steve Topping, MB Provincial;
Henry Van Offelen, MN Environmental; Mark Voxland, MN Cities; Hetty Walker, ND Counties; Shane Walock,
ND Cities; Dan Wilkens, MN Watershed Districts; Jim Ziegler, MN State;
Ex Officio Present: Jane Akers, US Coast Guard; Joan Carlson, ND US Rep. Pomeroy; Stella Fedeniuk, CN
PFRA; Tom Fiebiger, ND Senator.; Joel Galloway, USGS; Cliff Graydon, MB MLA; Tony Grindberg, ND Senator;
Edmund Gruchalla, ND Representative; Will Haapala, MN PCA; Ken Hinterlong, US FEMA Region V; Richard
Homan, ND Representative; Karen Hurst, CN DFO; Scott Kahan, US FWS; CDR Michael Lebsack, US Coast
Guard 9th District; Andy Martin, MN US Sen. Klobuchar; Tim Mathern, ND Senator; Tony Mendes, US FEMA
Region VIII; Rochelle Nustad, USGS; Allen Olson, IJC; Chris Royal, US Coast Guard; Scott Stofferahn, ND US
Sen. Conrad; Aaron Snyder, US ACOE; Wally Sparby, MN US Rep. Peterson; LCDR Adam Tyndale, US Coast
Guard 8th District; Paul Wannarka, MN DNR; Donald Warren, USDA; Gregg Wiche, USGS; Scott Dummer, Mark
Frazier, Michael Lukes, NOAA/NWS; William Hunt, Mike Jensen, Keith Weston, USDA – NRCS
MN House of Representatives Capital Investment Committee: Representative Lyndon Carlson Sr.,
Representative Karen Clark, Representative Greg Davids, Representative Matt Dean, Representative Rob
Eastlund, Representative Alice Hausman, Representative Larry Howes, Representative Al Juhnke,
Representative Margaret Anderson Kelliher, Representative Morrie Lanning, Representative Joe Mullery,
Representative Tom Rukavina, Representative Bev Scalze, Representative Peggy Scott, Representative Dean
Urdahl, Representative Jean Wagenius, and MN House Research Dept. – Deborah Dyson, Kathy Novak
Others Present: Col. Milton Arneson, USAF Retired; Dave Beauchamp, Richard Betting, People to Save the
Sheyenne; Jerome Deal, MN Bois de Sioux Watershed; Sean Fredricks, Ohnstad Twichell, P.C.; Chuck Fritz,
International Water Institute; Dan Gunderson, MN Public Radio; Diane Ista, Wild Rice Watershed; Linda Kingery,
NWRSDP; John Lindquist, Ottertail County Commissioner; Grit May, International Water Institute; Mary Lee
Nielson, Mayor Valley City ND; Karen Nitzkorski, Consultant; Kelli Poehls, F/M Chamber; Bill Spychalla, Barr
Engineering; Rick St. Germain, Houston Engineering; Dan Thul, MN DNR; Mike Williams, City of Fargo; Bob
Zimmerman, City of Moorhead; Steve Dalen, citizen; RRBC Staff – Brenda Elmer, Robin Gislason, Julie
Goehring, Leah Thvedt, Derek Smith, Janeen Stenso, Lance Yohe
9:00 a.m.
1. Welcome & Introductions—Herm Martens, RRBC Chair, welcomed everyone and introduced MN State
Representative Morrie Lanning. Lanning spoke about the history of the RRBC, the Flood of 2009, and the
Wednesday 2 September 2009 Capital Investment tour. The Capital Investment group introduced
themselves and the district they represent.
a. Moorhead Mayor, Mark Voxland, welcomed the group and highlighted the City of Moorhead.
Voxland also spoke about the impacts of the Flood of 2009.
b. Jon Evert, RRBC Vice Chair reported on RRBC History, Mission and NRFP Activities:
2. Basin Report
a. Lance Yohe, RRBC Executive Director, reported on the Flood of 2009 and the Long Term Flood
Solutions Project. Report on file.
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3.
Key Basin Activities
a. Flooding Issues
1) Long Term Flood Solutions (LTFS) Projects

Sen. Fischer and Rep. Lanning reported on MN and ND legislation funding.
Legislation on file.

Elmer, RRBC Staff, reported on Project Concepts & Workplan. Report on file.

Bill Spychalla, Barr Engineering, reported on the LTFS Surveys and Report
Concepts. Surveys on file and on web site.

Elmer summarized the previously completed RRBC PIRC (Problems,
Impediments, Roadblocks & Challenges) Report for the Policy/Government
Relations update. Report on file and on web site.

Goehring, RRBC Staff, reported on upcoming LTFS Public Meetings and Public
Relations strategies. Report on file.
2) Tom Fischer, ND Red River Joint Water Resource District Board (RRJWRDB) and Ron Harnack,
MN Red River Water Management Board (RRWMB) reported on Basin Projects & Needs. Power
Point (PP) reports on file.
3) Ken Hinterlong & Tony Mendez, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Regions VIII
& V, reported on 2009 Mitigation, Mapping, NFIP, Claims, and Policies. PP reports on file.
4) Red River basin Watershed Strategies

Aaron Snyder, U.S. Corps of Engineers (COE) gave an Overview of Basin Wide
Project. PP report on file.

Local leaders, Jim Lyons, Chair, ND Red River Joint Water Resource District
(RRJWRDB); and Dan Wilkens, Treasurer, MN Red River Water Management
Board (RRWMB) were present and a quick update of each states local joint
water activities was provided.

Chuck Fritz, Executive Director, International Water Institute (IWI) reported on
LiDAR Data and Viewer. PP report on file.

Mainstem Unsteady Modeling, Randy Gjestvang, ND State Water Commission
(SWC) was present, PP report on file.

Scott Dummer and Michael Lukes, National Weather Service (NWS)
commented on 2009 Spring Flood Forecasting.

Aaron Snyder, U.S. Corps of Engineers (COE) reported on the Decision Support
System and gave an FM Briefing. PP report on file.
b. William Hunt, MN State Conservationist, Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) and Keith
Weston, ND State Water Quality Specialist reported on the US Farm Bill – Agricultural Water
Enhancement Program (AWEP) and USDA funding for Ring Dikes since the spring flood Originally
$3 million was made available in MN and ND through EQIP and then another $1.38 million thorough
AWEP. Many rural farmstead ring dikes are underway and more in the works.
1) Yohe and Wally Sparby, US Cong. Peterson, Basin Water Lead, provided more details on the
AWEP Project and Funding Request and what that means for the future if more funding is
received. AWEP proposal on file and on web site.
c. Basin Water Quality Efforts – Jurisdictional Water Quality Team – Report was referenced. Report on
file.
d. Basin Water Supply Efforts – Jurisdictional Supply – Ted Shannon, HDR Engineering referenced
report. Report on file.
4. Agency Report Updates: Focus – 2009 Flood and Related Issues. Federal and State agencies gave reports
and there was Q & A time. Agencies Reporting: Agriculture & Agri-Foods Canada, PFRA; US FEMA,
Regions VII and V; ND US Sen. Conrad Office; CN Fisheries and Oceans; International Joint Commission;
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MB Water Stewardship; MN Pollution Control Agency; ND US Rep. Pomeroy Office; MN US Rep. Peterson
Office; MN US Sen. Klobuchar Office; US Army Corp of Engineers; US Coast Guard-Dist. 8 & 9; US Fish
and Wildlife Service; US Geological Survey; US Department of Agriculture-Natural Resource Conservation
Districts; ND US Sen. Dorgan Office; US Bureau of Reclamation.
RRBC Board Meeting
Martens called the RRBC Board Meeting to order at 1 p.m.
1. Approval of Agenda: M/S/C by Fischer/Paulishyn to approve the agenda.
2. Welcome and Introductions - Martens welcomed everyone to the RRBC Meeting.
3. Citizens Comments: Richard Betting, representative from People to Save the Sheyenne, spoke the Board
about his concerns regarding Devils Lake. Handout on file. M/S/C Paulishyn/Swenson to accept the
report and to refer Betting’s request, for an RRBC response to his report, to the PIC Committee for
further study and a recommendation for Board consideration.
4. Approval of August 6, 2009 Minutes: M/S/C Belford/Falk to approve the August 6, 2009 minutes.
5. Executive Director Report: M/S/C Evert/Ludtke to accept and file the Executive Directors report which
was given at the opening of the Ex Officio dialogue. Report on file.
6. Committee Reports:
a. Executive Committee – Martens reported that there was not a quorum at the last Executive Committee
meeting, due to summer schedules, so there was only discussion but no action.
b. Finance Committee – The July Financial Statement was reviewed by Belford and questions answered.
M/S/C Belford/Walker to approve the financial statement and payment of the bills
7. Consent Report: There were no questions on the Consent Report. M/S/C Krasnesky/Hotain to accept
and file the Consent Report
8. Timely Topics Flood Discussions – The LTFS Project Facilitator has not been finalized so the LTFS Project
discussion related to expectations and basin goals was moved to the October Board meeting.
9. NRFP Activities:
a. Goal #1: Watershed Approach, Reports:
 PRBAB – Walker/Smith – Walker reported that the next meeting will be in October and
that the Executive Committee has a meeting scheduled to finalize the agenda.
 SVI – Fischer/Thvedt – Fischer reported that the South East Cass County Water
Resource District has hired an engineering firm has been hired to look at water retention
in the south end of the basin. The SVI next meeting will be held in conjunction with the
LTFS Project public meetings.
 MN JPB – Dahl – Dahl reported that the next meeting will be November 19th in
Mahnomen. RRBC staff member, Elmer gave a presentation on the LTFS Project at the
recent August meeting.
 MB North Chapter – Paulishyn – Paulishyn reported that the next meeting will be
September 24th, Lance Yohe will the featured speaker updating on RRBC activities and
particularly the LTFS Project.
 Assiniboine River Basin Project: Gislason Yohe reported on the progress of this group
and that the task force will meet by phone in the next couple of weeks to discuss the fall
conference details.
b. Goal #2: Integration of Resource Issues
 NRFP Report: Klapprodt - Klapprodt reported that all efforts are being put into the LTFS
Project at this time. There is the expectation that as projects begin to emerge that the
PIC role will increase and reviews and recommendations are developed.
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c. Goal #4: Education and Information


27th Annual Summit Conference – January 19-21, 2010: Gust/Evert - Gust noted that the
conference brochures are in the Board packet for review.
Canadian River Centre Project: Krasnesky reported that the proposal RRBC submitted
for funding remains active and that we are trying to get a response. Federal and
Provincial meetings are underway to follow up. A developer remains interested in
helping with the components of the Centre that RRBC has little interest in.
d. Goal #6: Flood Mitigation

MM Calibration IV and 20% Flow Reductions: Yohe reported that the model is under
review by an independent Engineering firm.
 2009 Spring Flood Stream Gauging: Yohe reported that the report is finalized except for
the MB data gathered during the flood.
 LTFS Project: Oversight Committee has meet as has been reported on earlier during the
day.
e. Goal #9: Water Quality
 Basin Jurisdictional Water Quality Report: Smith reported at the Ex Officio meeting.
Report on file.
f. Goal #10: Water Supply
 Jurisdictional/Immediate Process & Conservation/Soft Path Report: Ted Shannon from
HDR Engineering reported on the drought efforts during the Ex Officio meeting.
Updates and past reports available on file and the web site.
10. Old Business:
a. Robert Glennon Lecture: Goehring reported that this has been rescheduled from last spring to 1 October
2009 at 7:00 PM at Concordia College in Moorhead, MN.
b. AWEP Project Funding – 1.38 Million was recently appropriated through this proposal for ring dikes.
Yohe summarized the original proposal.
11. New Business: None Reported
12. Around the Basin Stakeholder Updates: Directors reported on activities and projects.
13. Other: There was no other business.
14. Citizen Discussion on LTFS Project: Will be part of upcoming RRBC Meetings.
15. Adjournment: M/S/C Krasnesky/Paulishyn to adjourn.
Upcoming RRBC Board Meetings:
November 4-5, 2009 – Grand Forks ND – Wednesday (Board Retreat) and Thursday
(Retreat/Board Meeting)
January 19 – 21, 2010 – Annual Summit Conference – Grand Forks (Alerus Center)
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Secretary’s Signature
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Executive Director’s Signature