Congressional and headquarters leaders were concerned about the unsightly and odorous oxbows, or channels, along the Souris River.

In response, the St. Paul District, in collaboration with the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center, and the city of Minot, North Dakota, entered into a cost-share agreement to organize a workshop aimed at assessing and improving the disconnected oxbows along the river.

In 1979, when USACE and the city of Minot constructed the Souris River flood risk management project, some side channels known as oxbows were disconnected from the river. Over time, these natural features deteriorated due to lack of flow connectivity, buildup of flood debris and pollutants.

In June 2024, an agreement was executed between USACE and the city of Minot under the planning assistance to states program to address these degraded oxbows that became stagnant and polluted over time.

The district and the city hosted a workshop in August to identify and evaluate measures that could enhance water quality and biodiversity of the Souris River. They also defined solutions that do not impact the function of the flood risk management project.

The total project cost is $50,000 with the city and federal government evenly splitting the amount.

“The planning assistance to states agreement with the city of Minot is an important step in bringing the USACE’s’ technical assistance capabilities to the city of Minot,” said Karla Sparks, St. Paul District project manager. “The workshop offered low-cost strategies for the city to improve natural

water features for flood management and ecological health.”

The Corps delivers national value through its planning assistance to states program by supporting sustainable water and land resource management.