Regulatory Division
The Department of Water Resources (DWR) is responsible for regulating dams, dikes, and other water control devices. The DWR is also responsible for managing the state’s sovereign lands, regulating drainage in conjunction with local water resource districts, conducting environmental reviews, and administering the state’s dam safety, floodplain management, and Silver Jackets programs.
Water Appropriation Division
The administration and enforcement of water laws, rules and policies that assure the sustainability of the water resources of the state and protect established water rights of applicants, are of the utmost importance for the prosperity and welfare of the state’s citizens. DWR is charged with managing the use of the state’s waters as directed under Chapter 61-04 of North Dakota’s Century Code (NDCC), and Article 89-03 of North Dakota Administrative Code (NDAC).