JAMESTOWN, N.D. (NewsDakota.com) – On August 1st, the Office of the State Engineer officially became the Department of Water Resources.

The Governor has named Dr. Andrea Travnicek as the Director of the department. Director Travnicek previously served as the Director of Parks and Recreation and has a long background in water and natural resource management, including a stint with the U.S. Department of the Interior.

Additionally, the Governor announced the reappointment of the following SWC members:

-Michael Anderson of Hillsboro, who represents the Lower Red River Basin.
-Richard “Dick” Johnson of Devils Lake, who represents the Devils Lake Basin.
-Jay Volk of Bismarck, who represents the Lower Missouri River Basin.
-Jason Zimmerman of Minot, who represents the Mouse River Basin.

The following were appointed as new members on the SWC:

-James Odermann, a Belfield rancher, who will represent the Little Missouri, Upper Heart and Upper Cannonball River basins.
-Connie Ova, CEO of the Jamestown/Stutsman Development Corp., who will represent the James River Basin.
-April Walker, consulting firm owner and former Fargo city engineer, who will represent the Upper Red River Basin.
-Gene Veeder, a McKenzie County rancher and board member for the McKenzie County Job Development Authority, who will represent the Upper Missouri River Basin.

The SWC met on Friday, July 30th to officially approve Direct Travnicek’s appointment as the Director as well as approve additional funding for the Drought Disaster Livestock Water Supply Project Assistance Program. The SWC also approved funding for a new program within the North Dakota Department of Agriculture to cost share on water transportation activities.

The next SWC meeting is August 12th at 1pm.