Gov. Doug Burgum named Andrea Travnicek to lead North Dakota's Department of Water Resources. Travnicek was previously the North Dakota Parks and Recreation director. Her appointment to head the Department of Water Resources will need to be ratified by the State Water Commission before becoming official.
Burgum also appointed four new members to the North Dakota Water Commission including Connie Ova, CEO of the Jamestown/Stutsman Economic Development Corp.; James Odermann, a Belfield rancher; April Walker, consulting firm owner and former Fargo city engineer, and Gene Veeder, a McKenzie County rancher.
As a result of House Bill 1353 passed during the 2021 legislative session, on Aug. 1 the Department of Water Resources will be the primary state water agency, replacing the State Water Commission.
The State Water Commission consists of Burgum as chairman, Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring and eight members appointed by the governor to six-year terms, with one member from each of the drainage basins in North Dakota.
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