The Upper Missouri Water Association is a non-profit regional water organization including the states of Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wyoming. The mission of the Upper Missouri Water Association (UMWA) is to protect, develop, and manage Upper Missouri water.
By working together through the UMWA, water interests can become stronger and more effective. Instead of four separate states, each with a Congressman and two Senators, we are a region with four Congressmen and eight Senators. Through unity we can accomplish our regional goals.
Members of the Upper Missouri Water Association include all types of large and small businesses, individuals, farmers, ranchers, irrigators, engineers, contractors, companies, rural electric and other cooperatives, irrigation districts, rural water systems, cities, and other organizations who are concerned about Upper Missouri water.
The Montana Water Resources Association and Upper Missouri Water Association’s Joint Annual Conference is Oct. 22-24 at the DoubleTree by Hilton in Billings, Montana.
MWRA/UMWA 2018 Registration Form
Goals
The Upper Missouri Water Association has nine priority goals:
- Communication and education of projects, issues and programs in Upper Basin states.
- Coordination and consensus among water, power, tribal and related resource interests of the Upper Missouri.
- Complete water development projects in Upper Basin states.
- Support Pick-Sloan ultimate development and the Pick-Sloan Missouri Basin Program.
- Achieve Missouri River operation and management beneficial to upstream states.
- Achieve solutions to Missouri River bank erosion and silt formation impacts and other water quality issues in the four states.
- Support Missouri River recovery programs such as:
- Missouri River Recovery Implementation Committee
- Missouri River Ecosystem Restoration Plan
- Missouri River Authorized Purposes Study
- Preserve and support state water associations.
- Work towards solving potential conflicts involving mutual river basins.
2017 Board of Directors
President
Norman Haak, Oakes, North Dakota
Vice President
Mick Jenniges, Oral, South Dakota
Past President
Mike Murphy, Helena, Montana
ELECTED DIRECTORS
Montana
Bill Hritsco, Dillon, Montana
Mike Murphy, Helena, Montana
Ann Kulczyk, Glasgow, Montana
Dennis Miotke, Dillon, Montana
North Dakota
Norman Haak, Oakes, North Dakota
Ken Royse, Bismarck, North Dakota
Jerry Schaack, Bismarck, North Dakota
Ward Koeser, Williston, North Dakota
South Dakota
Jake Fitzgerald, Murdo, South Dakota
John Heisler, Newell, South Dakota
Mick Jenniges, Oral, South Dakota
Garland Erbele, Pierre, South Dakota
Wyoming
Beth Callaway, Cheyenne, Wyoming
Bryant Startin, Powell, Wyoming
Randy Watts, Powell, Wyoming
Radona Williams, Powell, Wyoming
EX-OFFICIO
Federal Representative
Gloria Shaw, Billings, Montana
State Water Agencies
Jeanne Goodman, Chief Engineer, Pierre, South Dakota
Garland Erbele, State Engineer, Bismarck, North Dakota
John Tubbs, Director, Helena, Montana
Patrick Tyrell, State Engineer, Cheyenne, Wyoming
Bureau of Reclamation
Arden Freitag, Area Manager, Bismarck, North Dakota
Steve Davies, Area Manager, Billings, Montana
Carlie Ronca, Area Manager, Mills, Wyoming
Communications and Staff
Communication
The association sends out a Monthly Briefing on federal legislation, regulatory actions, and other issues concerning water.
E-mail alerts are provided periodically on the latest federal issues impacting the upper Missouri and western states.
Staff
- Michael Dwyer, Executive Secretary, Bismarck, ND