The primary purpose of the trip was to reinforce the urgency of the levee issue, secure federal funding for a required evaluation study, and establish clear federal ownership and responsibility for the long-term rehabilitation of this critical infrastructure. The delegation reported success, returning home with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers taking ownership responsibility and allocating the initial the funding toward addressing levee issues.

The Williston levee system was originally constructed as part of the federal flood protection infrastructure tied to Garrison Dam operations and managed through the Corps. Over time, sediment buildup and river aggravation have significantly reduced the levee’s effectiveness, which means it no longer provides full 100-year flood protection. The community faced uncertainty over whether the Corps would classify this as a local operations and maintenance issue, which would place much of the burden on the city, or as a federal dam safety issue, which would allow access to major federal funding and long-term federal responsibility.

During the trip, the delegation met with Steve Kopecky, chief of the Northwest Division Command Integration Element with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers; U.S. Sens. John Hoeven and Kevin Cramer and their staffs; Congresswoman Julie Fedorchak and staff; Kelly Colyar with the Office of Management and Budget; and Stacey Brown, deputy assistant secretary of the Army for Management and Budget with the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army (Civil Works).

“The City of Williston delegation went to Washington, D.C. to protect our community and our residents,” Mayor Howard Klug said. “Without addressing the levee and FEMA floodplain concerns, many homeowners and businesses could have been forced to carry thousands of dollars in additional flood insurance costs just to protect the investments they’ve made here. Our goal was simple — protect Williston and make sure our residents are not unfairly burdened by decisions beyond their control.”

Submitted Photo Gathered for discussion are, from left, Howard Klug, Williston mayor; Tori Siemieniewski, city commissioner; Shawn Wenko, city administrator; Tracee Sutton, Nexxus Consulting; Sen. John Hoeven; Josh Carter, Hoeven staff; and David Juma, city engineer

Joining Klug in Washington were City Commissioner Tori Siemieniewski, City Administrator Shawn Wenko and City Engineer David Juma. The delegation was joined by Tracee Sutton, Bob Holmes and Ana Ma of Nexxus Consulting, LLC.

According to the city, the Corps formally acknowledged that the levee is its asset and that rehabilitation falls under federal responsibility. Through the meetings, the Corps recognized that sediment buildup and river aggravation have significantly reduced the levee’s effectiveness. The Corps’ position now supports moving forward under the Dam Safety Program rather than standard operations and maintenance, creating a much stronger path toward meaningful federal investment.

The delegation also secured confirmation of initial federal funding to begin the Issue Evaluation Study, which is the first formal step in the rehabilitation process. Specifically, $250,000 has been confirmed for Fiscal Year 2026 to begin the study, along with an additional $500,000 identified for Fiscal Year 2027 to continue and complete that effort. This $750,000 total represents the first critical dollars needed to move the project forward and officially places Williston on the federal dam safety funding radar, the city stated. This study will define the technical failures, rehabilitation needs and total project costs, which are currently estimated to exceed $200 million and could approach $250 million depending on final design requirements.

The levee protects major community and regional assets, including water services and other infrastructure in five counties with more than 70,000 residents, wastewater treatment facilities, the Burlington Northern main rail line, Highway 85 and U.S. Highway 2 crossings, more than 100 oil wells and significant agricultural and freight movement. Failure of this system would have substantial impacts on energy production, rail transportation, agriculture and downstream water systems, affecting a large portion of western North Dakota.

“What we’re protecting here goes far beyond city limits,” Siemieniewski said. “This levee safeguards infrastructure that supports energy, transportation, agriculture and multiple counties across western North Dakota.”

Submitted Photo Members of a Williston delegation with Sen. Kevn Cramer In Washington last week are, from left, Shawn Wenko, city administrator, Tori Siemieniewski, city commissioner; Cramer; Howard Klug, mayor; and David Juma, city engineer.

A key discussion point throughout the trip was tying the Williston levee directly to Garrison Dam operations. Because the levee functions as part of the broader dam protection system and prevents significant backwater flooding, the delegation emphasized this should be treated as a dam safety issue and funded accordingly. This positioning was well received and strengthens the long-term funding strategy, the city reported.

Following the Issue Evaluation Study, the next phase will be a Dam Safety Modification Study, which could take one to two years, followed by construction planning and implementation that could extend four to five years or longer. While the timeline is lengthy, the city rated the trip as a success in that the problem is now formally documented, ownership has been acknowledged and the funding path has begun.