AN ACT to amend and reenact subsection 9 of section 61-02-02 of the North Dakota Century Code, relating to water conveyance projects and works.

69th Legislative Assembly (2025-26) Introduced by Mike Brandenburg and 5 co-sponsors

Clarifies that a project in ND water law includes a single water work or any combination of connected works managed as one unit, simplifying permits, funding, and oversight.

Filed with Secretary Of State 03/18

Main purpose / intent

SB 2153 makes a targeted, definitional change to state water law by clarifying what constitutes a “project” for purposes of chapter 61‑02 (statutes governing water conveyance projects and related works). The intent is to ensure that a single work or multiple works that are physically connected or that are jointly managed and operated can be treated as a single “project.”

Key provision (exact change)

Amends NDCC § 61‑02‑02(9) to read:

“‘Project’ means a water conveyance project or any one of the works defined in subsection 1011, or any combination of such works, which are physically connected or jointly managed and operated as a single unit.”

In short: a “project” may be (a) a water conveyance project, (b) any one of the works listed in subsection 1011, or (c) a combination of such works — so long as they are physically connected or jointly managed/operated as a single unit.

Who is affected

State agencies and boards involved in water resources (e.g., State Water Commission and other entities that plan, fund, permit, or operate water conveyance projects).

Local sponsors/operators: irrigation districts, water boards, conservancy districts, reclamation districts, and other entities that manage or operate water works.

Project planning, funding, permitting, operation, and maintenance processes that rely on the statutory definition of “project.”

Potentially property owners, contractors, and ratepayers insofar as project classification affects funding, joint‑operation agreements, and administrative treatment.

Practical impact / implications

Clarifies statutory scope: the amendment is primarily definitional and appears intended to remove ambiguity about whether an individual work (instead of an integrated set of works) can be treated as a project under chapter 61‑02.

Administrative effects: may simplify or standardize eligibility for state programs, funding, contracting, permitting, reporting, and joint‑management arrangements by making single works explicitly eligible to be designated as a “project.”

Operational implications: entities that manage physically connected structures or that operate multiple works jointly can be more clearly treated and regulated as a single operational unit.

No substantive new powers or funding authority are created by the text itself; it is a statutory clarification that could affect how existing authorities and programs are applied.

Procedure / timeline

Introduced: March 10, 2025 (per bill information supplied).

Passed both chambers (enrolled text filed in the legislative record).

Filed with Secretary of State: March 18, 2025 (as supplied).

(Documents provided indicate the measure was enrolled and processed through the legislative workflow; check official North Dakota legislative records or the Secretary of State for final signature and exact effective date.)

Where codified

Amendment modifies NDCC § 61‑02‑02(9) — definition of “Project” within the water conveyance project statutes.

If you want, I can: (1) compare the pre‑existing definition to show precisely what language was added or removed; (2) identify subsection 1011 to list the specific “works” referenced; or (3) pull the official enactment/effective date from the North Dakota legislative website.

Bill