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By Josh Margolis
HAVRE, Mont. (NMB) – The St. Mary’s Rehabilitation Working Group convened on Friday in Havre and provided an update on construction plans for the Diversion Dam at the head of the canal, which will be funded through the $100 million allocation provided in the recently passed bipartisan infrastructure bill.
Bureau of Reclamation Engineer Steve Darlinton says they are expecting to receive the initial $2.5 million in funds in the coming weeks, and are still working on designs.
“Once we have that funding, the big next step is getting out there with our drill crew and geologists and doing Geotech investigations. That leads into completing the 60 percent design, which is probably in the June-ish timeframe. And then we’ll continue on with our 90 (percent design).”
An updated cost estimate for the project, which is expected to take up the majority of the $100 million allocation, will likely be provided once the 90 percent design is done.
By March of 2023, Darlinton says the final design and full specification package should be completed.
“I’m going to probably temper some expectations on dirt moving in 2023,” said Darlinton. “That seems unlikely. So once we have that spec package, our typical acquisition process is about nine months, which puts award in the winter of 2023/2024, and then actual dirt moving in 2024. That’s the most realistic schedule. As part of that $2.5 million, once we receive that funding, we will start the NEPA and Cultural (assessment) process, as well as the lands discussion around the Diversion Dam. And then, as soon as we have that funding, we will start a kickoff meeting in Browning…with the tribes so everybody is on the same page.”
Working Group member and former State Senator Greg Jergeson expressed worry about the lengthy timeline, saying that the Dam continues to deteriorate and needs to be fixed as soon as possible.
“I saw deterioration in that dam in the three year period between the two visits I went up there. And I’m nervous about taking our own sweet time the way bureaucracy has a tendency to do. How do we get (Senior Advisor and Infrastructure Coordinator) Mitch Andrew to speed this up in ways you guys can’t do?”
Henry Ring, Legislative Assistant for U.S. Senator Jon Tester, said their office will try to speed things up as much as possible.
“Senator Tester has spoken directly to the Director of Reclamation face-to-face about the need to prioritize St. Mary’s directly. Keeping it on the radar from the top down I think, is critical. I think the message has been received and we are going to stay in close contact with our friends at Reclamation at all levels to make sure we are trying to get this out the door as quickly as possible. I think the sense of urgency is very real, especially with the failure of the drop structures. The infrastructure is aging to the point of failure. And that’s why, frankly, the funding in the bipartisan infrastructure package…is labeled as projects that have suffered a critical failure. Because if we don’t get on this, we’re going to see more of that. So we will continue to be advocating on this. And we’ll make sure Senator Tester is in close touch on a member level with leadership over at Reclamation.”
Construction is expected to take three years, and a bypass canal will be placed at the site to allow water deliveries to continue during that time.
Stay tuned to New Media Broadcasters in the coming days for more on last week’s St. Mary’s Rehabilitation Working Group meeting.
