Land Acquisition Process & Schedule

Find out what property rights are needed for the project and get updates on the MFDA’s process for land acquisition. Not sure if your land is needed? Use our interactive land map and search your property by address or parcel number.

What Happens When Land is Needed

Map

  1. The project designer earmarks land

Project design engineers from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers inform the program management consultant (PMC), MFDA director of lands and compliance and lands program manager when property rights need to be acquired for the project. This could be for a flowage easement or total acquisition due to the project’s path.

Staff

  1. MFDA Finance Committee review

The MFDA Finance Committee then reviews the proposed property rights to be acquired, along with the budget. If approved, the MFDA Finance Committee issues a Land Acquisition Directive to one of the acquiring agencies: The Cass County Joint Water Resource District (CCJWRD) in North Dakota or the Moorhead Clay County Joint Powers Authority (MCCJPA) in Minnesota.

Conversation 02

  1. Land agents contact owners

Independent land agents, who are contracted with CCJWRD or MCCJPA, make initial contact with property owners and serve as the point of contact to guide property owners through the acquisition and relocation process. Contact a Land Agent

Land Acquisition & Purchase Process

Status Finance

  1. Getting Just Compensation

An independent, licensed appraiser assesses the value of property rights and submits the appraisal for review to ensure consistent methodology, quality assurance and appraisal standard conformance. An appraisal report, along with a proposed offer of just compensation, is approved by the relevant acquiring agency (CCJWRD or MCCJPA) and then submitted by the land agent to the property owner.

Moving Truck

  1. Relocation & Re-establishment Benefits

If the property rights require the acquisition of a residence or a commercial property, relocation benefits will be available for displaced residents or business owners who need to re-establish their companies.

Staff

  1. Negotiations & Final Agreement

Land agents will present purchase agreements to the property owners for review and consideration. They are the point of contact for questions and negotiations. When the owner accepts the offer, the agreement is signed and a closing date is set.

For questions specific to your property, contact a land agent.

Land Acquisition Schedule

Get an estimate of when property will be acquired for different stages of project construction. View the dates below or download the Property Acquisition Schedule Map.

Project Component Acquisition Schedule
I-29 Road Raise Property rights have been obtained
Red River Structure Property rights have been obtained
Southern Embankment Reach 1 Property rights have been obtained
Southern Embankment Reach 2A Property rights have been obtained
Southern Embankment Reach 2B June 2022 – December 2024
Southern Embankment Reach 3 Property rights have been obtained
Southern Embankment Reach 4 November 2022 – March 2024
Southern Embankment Reach 5 November 2022 – March 2024
Upstream Mitigation Area
  • ND UMA – March 2022 – December 2026
  • MN UMA – March 2022 – March 2024
Drain 27 Wetland Restoration Property rights have been obtained
Stormwater Diversion Channel and Associated Infrastructure Property rights have been obtained
OHB Property rights have been obtained
Sheyenne Benching Project February 2024-February 2025
Christine Mitigation December 2023-December 2026
Wolverton Mitigation December 2023-December 2026

Questions About Land Acquisition Process?

For more information about the lands management process, see our FAQs. For questions specific to your property, contact your land agent.

Lands Management FAQ