1. Red River Basin Water Study - Laserfiche WebLink

Project Update The WafflesM project consist of six major components: 1) identification of storage areas, 2) data collection and database construction, 3) hydrologic/hydraulic model development, 4) public outreach, 5) WaffleSM field trials, and 6) economic evaluation of the concept. A primary focus is to identify areas that would be suitable or unsuitable for water storage based on a variety of factors such as land slope, the presence/absence of cultural features, and potential water storage volume. The computer modeling component of the project is also well under way. This includes the development of hydrologic models for each of the watersheds in the Red River Basin to investigate the effects of distributed temporary water storage on flooding. The models can also be expanded to investigate agricultural or industrial impacts on water quality, as well as the effects of wetland restoration on sediment transport and water quality. Once the watershed models are complete, they will be combined with a main stem Red River model to form an integrated, basinwide model for use in water management studies. meetings. An Agency Advisory Board (AAB) and a Citizen's Advisory Board (CAB) provide the team with objective advice regarding the WaffleSM project. The AAB advises the EERC on technical issues while the CAB provides advice on public outreach and landowner concerns related to water storage and flooding. A new activity this past fall was the preparation of the first field trial of the WaffleSM concept. By temporarily storing water on agricultural land for a short period of time in the spring, the field trial will demonstrate the effects of water storage on the land, the surrounding roads, and flood reduction. The results of the field trial, along with structural costs and flood mitigation benefits, will be used in determining the economic feasibility of the project. EERC public outreach efforts have included attendance at meetings of local and state boards and organizations, such as county Farm Service Agency offices, Soil and Water Conservation Districts, Water Boards, Watershed Districts, Township Officers Associations, and marketing groups. Since the project was first funded in April 2002, members of the WaffleSM team have given presentations at over 120