Crews started the 2025 construction season early thanks to a mild spring. Now they are hoping the weather will hold out this fall so they can continue pipe installation as long as possible. In 2024, construction wrapped up in November. If conditions cooperate again this year, the Red River Valley Water Supply Project (RRVWSP) could enjoy an almost unheard of seven-month construction season in North Dakota. As of mid-September, 25 miles of the 125-mile buried pipeline are in the ground.

“We are making good progress,” says Kip Kovar, Deputy Program Manager for RRVWSP Engineering and Garrison Diversion Conservancy District Engineer. “We currently have 33 miles of pipeline under contract to construct, plus more than 40 miles of shovel-ready pipeline installation.

Carstensen Contracting Inc. is focused on Contracts 5D and 6A this year. Contract 5D includes 10 miles of pipeline and a trenchless crossing of Pipestem Creek in western Foster County and eastern Wells County while Contract 6A involves the installation of a 7.1-mile transmission pipeline from the James River to Eastman Township in Foster County. So far, 8.3 miles are installed on 5D and 1.3 miles are in on 6A.

Meanwhile, Garney Construction worked on land restoration, structure build out, hydrostatic testing, and soil haul off for Contract 5B, east of Carrington, where the entire nine-mile stretch of pipeline is in the ground. Oscar Renda Contracting installed 5.4 miles on the eight-mile Contract 5C pipeline thus far.  

When the RRVWSP transmission pipeline is complete, it will span from the McClusky Canal to the discharge structure, which empties into the Sheyenne River, located about six miles south of Cooperstown. The Missouri River intake pumping station wet well, intake screen structure, and tunnel are complete. The outfall discharge structure on the Sheyenne River is also already constructed.