International Joint Commission Names International Red River Basin Task Force

Date

Contact Frank Bevacqua
Washington, D.C.
(202) 736-9024 Fabien Lengellé
Ottawa, Ontario
(613) 995-0088

 

International Joint Commission Names
International Red River Basin Task Force

The International Joint Commission has appointed an International Red River Basin Task Force to undertake a binational investigation of flooding in the Red River basin.

In June, the Governments of the United States and Canada asked the Commission to report on the causes and effects of damaging floods in the Red River basin, and to recommend ways to reduce and prevent harm from future flooding. A copy of the terms of reference is attached.

The Commission was asked to examine a full range of management options, including structural measures (such as building design and construction, basin storage, ring dykes, etc.) and non-structural measures (such as floodplain management, flood forecasting, emergency preparedness and response, etc.), and to identify weaknesses in preparedness and response that could be addressed to improve flood management in the future. The request from the Governments also asked the Commission to look into how the two countries could better cooperate to address flooding in the Red River basin.

In order to better respond to the broad scope of the request, the Commission has appointed Task Force members from a variety of backgrounds in public policy and water resources management. A full list of the membership is attached.

The Commission's response to the Governments will also be based on consultation with people within the Red River basin. Initial consultation activities will be announced in the near future. The Governments requested an interim report by the end of 1997, identifying measures that could be implemented in the near term, and a final report by the end of 1998.

The International Joint Commission is a binational Canada-United States organization established by the Boundary Waters Treaty of 1909. It assists the governments in managing waters shared by the two countries for the benefit of both.

For more information about the work of the Commission, visit the Commission's site on the World Wide Web at www.ijc.org(.)

 

International Joint Commission
Red River Basin Task Force
Mr. Bruce Rawson, Co-director
Consultant
Ottawa, Ontario Mr. Donald W. Herndon, Co-director
Director of Programs Management
Mississippi Valley Division/Mississippi River Commission
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Vicksburg, Mississippi 
  Mr. Dwight A. Williamson
Manager, Water Quality Management Section
Manitoba Environment
Winnipeg, Manitoba 
  Mr. David A. Sprynczynatyk
North Dakota State Engineer
North Dakota State Water Commission
Bismarck, North Dakota 
  Dr. Slobodan P. Simonovic
Director and Professor
Natural Resources Institute
University of Manitoba
Winnipeg, Manitoba 
  Mr. Kent Lokkesmoe
Director, Division of Waters
Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
St. Paul, Minnesota 
  Mr. Robert A. Halliday
Director, National Hydrology Research Institute
Environment Canada
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan 
  Dr. Jay A. Leitch
Distinguished Professor of Agricultural Economics
North Dakota State University
Fargo, North Dakota 
  Mr. Larry James Whitney
Manager, Water Planning and Development
Manitoba Department of Natural Resources
Winnipeg, Manitoba 
  Mr. Craig S. Wingo
Deputy Associate Director, Mitigation Directorate
Federal Emergency Management Agency
Washington, D.C.
 

 


Revised: 11 September 1997
Maintained by Kevin McGunagle, McGunagleK@windsor.ijc.org

 

URL: http://www.ijc.org/rel/news/redrel2.html