North Dakota’s Water Commission has approved state funding for two dredging projects on the Missouri River in the Bismarck-Mandan area.
The 2011 flood altered the river, depositing silt and creating new sandbars. The goal of the dredging projects is to help prevent ice jam flooding.
The state will pay 75 percent and local governments 25 percent for this project.
The work is to be done this fall. The projects are a short-term solution while the state continues working with federal officials to study long-term measures to control and remove sediment from the river.
[mappress]
Source: prairiepublic.org, September 19, 2012; Image: fws.gov