The Metro Flood Diversion Authority voted unanimously Sept. 25 to assume responsibility for the design, construction and operation of the Cheyenne River Mitigation project and to increase the diversion program budget by $53 million, the board’s general counsel said.
General Counsel John (role/title not specified in transcript) told board members the mitigation project — described in the NEPA documents and the supplemental environmental assessment (EA) — includes removal or modification of inlet and gated structures, restoration of an oxbow, and work on a culvert and baffle near Horace, N.D. He said the authority’s leadership has been consulting with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and recommended local control for three reasons: closer coordination with West Fargo and local water-resource districts, expected cost efficiencies, and a federal funding mechanism that returns remaining federal funds to local sponsors after federal construction is complete.
The board approved a program budget increase of $53 million to cover anticipated costs and separately approved a $1.5 million task order with Houston-Moore Group (HMG) for preliminary engineering and construction-support services for 2025–26. Paul Barthol answered budget questions during the discussion.
Board members were told the authority will execute a Memorandum for Record (MFR) to assume feasibility and design work in advance of a formal amendment to the Project Partnership Agreement (PPA) with the Corps. John said the PPA amendment requires congressional action and that the timing is uncertain because of continuing federal funding negotiations. The board’s resolution authorizing the design takeover and the program-budget adjustment passed on roll call.
The resolution and budget action do not yet change the cash budget; authority staff said they expect core federal funds to cover the mitigation costs once the PPA amendment is finalized and the funding flows back to local sponsors. Board members asked no substantive questions during the roll call vote, and all recorded votes were affirmative.
Next steps described to the board include issuing the MFR to assume design authority, continuing PPA-amendment negotiations with the Corps and pursuing the legislative approvals needed to formalize the funding arrangement.