The Bismarck crossing was fraught with problems. The
first of which is they didn't have an easement. There was already an
easement for pipe and electric transmission lines at Cannon Ball. Slam
dunk - one would think.
It would have added a slight dogleg - some say 11 miles, some say 18 miles.... I think it looks like more than that
Whoever
wrote this doesn't know that Lake Oahe doesn't back up north of
Bismarck, but whatever. That area north of Bismarck is prone to
flooding. More on that below.
Early
in the routing phase of the DAPL Project, Dakota Access considered but
eliminated an alternative centerline that originated in Stanley, North
Dakota, within Mountrail County, where it connected to customer receipt
points and headed southwest through Williams County and crossed the
Missouri River approximately 8.5 miles east of the Yellowstone River and
Missouri River confluence. The centerline then headed southeast across
the state and crossed Lake Oahe approximately 10 miles north of
Bismarck, where it then headed south again and entered South Dakota
approximately 35 miles east of Lake Oahe in McIntosh County. In addition
to other evaluation criteria listed in Table 2.1, the route alternative
was in proximity to and/or crossing multiple conservation easements,
habitat management areas, National Wildlife Refuges, state trust lands,
waterfowl production areas, and private tribal lands.
In
addition, the Bismarck route would have been 11 miles longer with more
road crossings and waterbody and wetland crossings. It also would have
been difficult to stay 500 or more feet away from homes, as required by
the North Dakota Public Service Commission, the corps states.
Here's
a picture of the flood 10 years ago.
Here's
a map, and by 2014, the Bismarck idea was scrapped - looks like more
than an 11 mile dogleg to me. I think they just had to identify more
than one route. They took the better route.
Right at the Southwest corner of Burleigh County, you can see a finger pointing northeast.
Look where that is on this map
| Distance between Moffit, ND and Bismarck, NDDistance between Moffit and Bismarck in miles and kilometers. Driving distance and how to go from Moffit, North ... |
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So,
about as far north as that finger runs and several miles east, you run
into the Long Lake National Wildlife Refuge. 22,000 acres of wet, boggy
duck heaven. Federally protected duck heaven. And there's tons of
little pot holes along the east side of the river. DAPL really stuck to
higher, drier ground as long as they could, and they dug a relatively
straight route for over 1000 miles.
The
SR Sioux didn't squabble about the route when previous easements ran
there 20, 30, 40 fifty years ago. Archambeaux ------ heard that 3 Affiliated got a percentage cut (12% ownership)
of that 91 mile long pipeline up north. But, 3A owns land on both sides
of the water. SRS doesn't own land on either side of the Oahe
crossing.
1868 Ft. Laramie Treaty excerpt
ARTICLE XI.
In
consideration of the advantages and benefits conferred by this treaty
and the many pledges of friendship by the United States, the tribes who
are parties to this agreement hereby stipulate that they will relinquish
all right to occupy permanently the territory outside
their
reservations as herein defined, but yet reserve the right to hunt on
any lands north of North Platte, and on the Republican Fork of the Smoky
Hill river, so long as the buffalo may range thereon in such numbers as
to justify the chase. And they, the said Indians, further expressly
agree:
1st. That they will withdraw all opposition to the construction of the railroads now being built on the plains.
2d. That they will permit the peaceful construction of any railroad not passing over their reservation as herein defined.
3d.
That they will not attack any persons at home, or travelling, nor
molest or disturb any wagon trains, coaches, mules, or cattle belonging
to the people of the United S
tates, or to persons friendly therewith.
4th. They will never capture, or carry off from the settlements, white women or children.
5th. They will never kill or scalp white men, nor attempt to do them harm.
6th.
They withdraw all pretence of opposition to the construction of the
railroad now being built along the Platte river and westward to the
Pacific ocean, and
they will not in future object to the construction of railroads, wagon
roads, mail stations, or other works of utility or necessity, which may
be ordered or permitted by the laws of the United States.
Someone else has done a much better job of debunking the Bismarck crossing nix - if I run across it, I'll send it along.
