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News Release Archive
Reclamation Selects New Manager for Dakotas Area Office
Media Contact:
Tyler Johnson, (406) 247-7610, 03/23/2011 00:00
For Release: March 23, 2011
The Bureau of Reclamation's Great Plains Region has selected Richard Long to serve as the Dakotas Area Office Manager in Bismarck, ND. He replaces Dennis Breitzman who is retiring.
"Dick brings a wealth of operations and management experience to the position from his 36 year Reclamation career," said Mike Ryan, Great Plains Regional Director. "His depth of on the ground experience, his ability to communicate and collaborate, along with his vision, will guide the Dakotas Area Office into the future."
Long began his federal career with Reclamation as an Agricultural Engineer in McCook, Neb. in 1974. He worked in Reclamation's Great Plains Regional Office in Billings, Mont., for ten years, administering the Rehabilitation and Betterment Program, along with facility operations and maintenance programs. From 1987 to 1990 he was Water and Land Division Chief at the Grand Junction Projects Office in western Colorado. In 1990, he joined the Montana Area Office in Billings, as Chief, Water & Land Division, and has held various positions since that time as a supervisor responsible for water and land resource management, facility operation and maintenance and dam safety. Before coming to Reclamation, Long worked for two years as a surveyor for a contractor on the construction the McClusky Canal in North Dakota. He received a Bachelor of Science degree in Agricultural Engineering from North Dakota State University in 1972.
"I look forward to working with the staff of the Dakotas Area Office to address the challenges and opportunities we've got before us to manage and develop water resource projects," said Long, who is scheduled to take over on May 8.
The Dakotas Area Office is responsible for administering Reclamation programs in North and South Dakota. The office provides technical assistance and leadership in the responsible development and management of water resources to enhance the quality of life in both states.
The Dakotas Area Office is headquartered in Bismarck, ND, with two field offices in South Dakota. The Area Office manages nine dams and reservoirs and a diverse array of programs and projects, including the planning, construction, and operation and maintenance of rural water systems. Other activities include contract renewals, irrigation development, water management studies and water conservation.
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The Bureau of Reclamation is a federal agency under the U.S. Department of the Interior and is the nation's largest wholesale water supplier and second largest producer of hydroelectric power. Our facilities also provide substantial flood control, recreation opportunities, and environmental benefits. Visit our website at https://www.usbr.gov and follow us on Twitter @USBR; Facebook @bureau.of.reclamation; LinkedIn @Bureau of Reclamation; Instagram @bureau_of_reclamation; and YouTube @reclamation.
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