[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 163 (Wednesday, November 17, 1999)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E2431-E2432]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




       INTRODUCTION OF DICKINSON DAM BASCULE GATES SETTLEMENT ACT

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                           HON. EARL POMEROY

                            of north dakota

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, November 16, 1999

  Mr. POMEROY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce the Dickinson Dam 
Bascule Gates Settlement Act to bring closure to a longstanding issue 
between the city of Dickinson, North Dakota and the Bureau of 
Reclamation. The legislation would permit the Secretary of the Interior 
to accept a one-time lump sum payment of $300,000 from the city of 
Dickinson in lieu of annual payments required under the city's existing 
repayment contract for the construction of the bascule gates on the 
Dickinson Dam.
  In 1950, a dam was constructed on the Heart River in North Dakota to 
provide a supply of water to the city of Dickinson. However, by the 
1970s, the need for additional water in the area was identified. Early 
in the 1980s the bascule gates were constructed as a Bureau of 
Reclamation project to provide additional water storage capacity in 
Lake Patterson, the reservoir created by the Dickinson Dam. At

[[Page E2432]]

the time, the city expressed concern about the cost and viability of 
the gates. Prior to the placement of the gates in North Dakota, no 
testing on the gates had been conducted at any location in a northern 
climate. Unfortunately, this significant oversight proved fatal for the 
gates. In 1982, shortly after the start of operations of the bascule 
gates, a large block of ice caused excessive pressure on the hydraulic 
system causing it to fail. These damages added additional costs to the 
project and a financial burden on the city as modifications to the gate 
hydraulic system were made and a de-icing system installed.
  Today, the city of Dickinson no longer benefits from the additional 
water capacity of Lake Patterson. The city of Dickinson now received 
their water through the Southwest Pipeline which was made possible 
through the Garrison Diversion Unit, another Bureau of Reclamation 
Project. The pipeline provides a high quality and more reliable water 
supply than the city's previous supply from Lake Patterson. To date, 
the city has repaid more than $1.2 million for the bascule gates 
despite the fact that they no longer provide any significant benefit to 
the city.
  In addition to allowing a lump sum payment, the bill also requires 
the city of Dickinson to pay annual operation and maintenance costs for 
the bascule gates, up to a maximum of $15,000. Annual O&M costs to date 
have averaged about $9,000 over the past 10 years. Any annual O&M costs 
beyond $15,000 would be the responsibility of the federal government. 
Finally, the bill permits the Secretary of the Interior to enter into 
appropriate water service contracts with the city for any beneficial 
use of the water in Patterson Lake.
  Mr. Speaker, I believe that the legislation represents a fair and 
appropriate resolution for the federal government and the city of 
Dickinson to this longstanding issue.

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