MEDIA RELEASE

For Release: September 9, 1997

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.

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

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