US Army Corps of Engineers Issues Key Permits for Mouse River Flood Protection

Minot, N.D. – The Souris River Joint Board was notified today that the US Army Corps of Engineers has issued a Record of Decision for the Mouse River Enhanced Flood Protection Project. Additionally, the US Army Corps of Engineers granted a Section 408 Permission to the Souris River Joint Board to alter the existing federal flood control project within Minot.

The Record of Decision is the final step in the Environmental Impact Statement process. The issuance of the Record of Decision signifies a major permitting milestone for the Mouse River Plan.

“This is a great step forward for advancing flood control throughout the Mouse River basin in North Dakota. This Record of Decision applies not only to those phases of construction that are expected to begin next spring but also to future projects upstream and downstream of Minot,” said Dave Ashley, Chairman of the Souris River Joint Board. “In addition, the 408 Permission granted by the Corps of Engineers will allow us to construct the phases of the project that have recently been bid.”

The Environmental Impact Statement was developed to disclose the benefits and impacts of the project from upstream of Burlington to downstream of Velva. Additional environmental review will be necessary for future phases of the project, but the issuance of the Record of Decision will streamline future reviews and permitting processes.

Phase MI-1 of the project includes approximately 2,500 linear feet of concrete floodwalls that span from Broadway to 3rd Street Northeast on the north side of the river along with a large stormwater pump station which will be constructed on the west side of the Broadway viaduct. The low bidder for the construction of this phase of the project was Park Construction, who submitted a bid of $43.5 million for the work.

Phases MI-2 and MI-3 of the project consist of approximately 9,000 linear feet of earthen levees that begin at the US Highway 83 Bypass on the west side of Minot and end at the Canadian Pacific Railroad bridge over the Mouse River near 3rd Avenue Southwest. The project also includes a large stormwater pump station which will be constructed near Perkett School and a roadway closure structure which will be constructed across 16th Street Southwest. The low bidder for the construction of these phases of the project was Wagner Construction, who submitted a bid of $35.7 million for the work.

Construction of these phases of the project is expected to begin in the spring.

For more information about the Mouse River Enhanced Flood Protection Project, visit www.mouseriverplan.com, or visit us on Facebook at Mouse River Plan.