ELWYN B. ROBINSON DEPARTMENT OF SPECIAL COLLECTIONS
CHESTER FRITZ LIBRARY
UNIVERSITY OF NORTH DAKOTA
GRAND FORKS, NORTH DAKOTA 58202

LLOYD NYGARD PAPERS

COLLECTION: OGL#1422

DATES: 1904-2001 [Bulk Dates: 1963-2001]

SIZE: 8.75 linear feet

INTRODUCTION

ACQUISITION: The Lloyd Nygard Papers were deposited in the Orin G. Libby Manuscript Collection by Lloyd Nygard (via Dr. Gordon Iseminger), Minot, North Dakota, on December 11, 2000 (Acc.#2000-2474); by Mark Nygard (via Dr. Gordon Iseminger), Minot, North Dakota, on May 4, 2001 (Acc.#2001-2503); and the Nygard family (via Dr. Gordon Iseminger), Minot, North Dakota, on April 21, 2003 (Acc.#2003-2613).

ACCESS: Available for inspection under the rules and regulations of the Department of Special Collections

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH

Lloyd Nygard was born on June 29, 1915, to Andrew and Anna Nygard of Edinburg, North Dakota. He was the tenth of eleven children. He graduated from high school at the Walsh County Agricultural and Training School in Park River. While in high school, he was active in the Future Farmers of America (FFA), Glee Club, livestock and crops judging teams, school annual, and the school newspaper.

He attended the North Dakota Agricultural College (now North Dakota State University) in Fargo, graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree in Agriculture in 1939. He continued to be active in FFA, as well as the livestock judging team, YMCA, and Alpha Zeta, an honorary agricultural fraternity.

He married Martha Flaten of Park River on November 4, 1942, at Pleasant Valley Lutheran Church. The couple, who had known each other since high school, had two sons, Mark and Neal, and one daughter, Joanne.

After turning down a scholarship to attend Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, Nygard accepted a position at Velva High School as a teacher of vocational agriculture in 1940. In addition to his teaching, he served as chapter adviser for the FFA, and organized separate Young and Adult Farmer courses. By the time he left Velva ten years later, Nygard supervised the only complete vocational agriculture department in the state.

In 1951, the family moved to Minot, where Nygard was hired to manage the ranching operations of Maurice Harrington, then mayor of Minot. He was responsible for over 7,000 acres of crops, and up to 1,000 head of cattle. He built a purebred Hereford herd that won awards at shows throughout the region. Nygard and Harrington worked together to establish the performance testing program that became the model for over 1,000 herds in the state.

In 1962, Nygard purchased a farm in the Souris River Valley upstream from Burlington. When Harrington closed down his purebred operation in 1971, Nygard went into farming on his own. He built his own Hereford herd, and also started a certified seed program. He was named Commercial Beef Producer of the Year by the North Dakota Beef Improvement Association in 1974. During the 1980s, the American Hereford Association recognized the quality of his herd by twice placing his cattle on their elite list of most valuable producer cows.

Beginning in the early 1960s, Nygard became active in efforts to oppose the flood control plans of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The plan articulated by the Corps included construction of the Burlington Dam and inundation of much of the Souris River Valley. Nygard was instrumental in the creation of Citizens United to Save the Valleys, an organization of over 4,000 members throughout the Souris River Valley. This group supported a more comprehensive plan, including channel improvements in Minot, dams on Souris tributaries in Canada, and smaller dams on coulees in the Des Lacs River Watershed. The group was successful, as by 1991 the original Corps' plan had been discarded.

Nygard was a member of the Ward County Farmers Union, as well as the Ward County Farm Bureau. He served as President of the United Public School District (Des Lacs and Burlington), as well as the Ward County School Board Association. He was also active in the local 4-H Club. He served on the church council of First Lutheran Church in Minot, and sang in the church choir.

Lloyd Nygard died on December 21, 2001, and is buried at Sunset Memorial Gardens in Minot.

SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE

The Lloyd Nygard Papers date from 1904-2001, although the bulk of the material dates from 1963 until 2001. The collection is divided into five series as follows:

Series I: Correspondence
The vast majority of the correspondence is related to flood control issues in the Souris River Valley. Included are letters sent to and from Lloyd Nygard, dated from 1963-1991, as well as undated correspondence. Nygard was a frequent letter writer who corresponded with anyone who would listen regarding flood control. North Dakota politicians serving in the United States Congress, North Dakota Governors, and several United States Presidents were frequent recipients of Nygard's letters. Correspondence written by Nygard as an officer of a specific organization, such as Citizens United to Save the Valleys, was filed with the material for that organization (see Series II). Several letters sent and received by other members of the Nygard family are also included.

In addition, Souris River flood control correspondence written by non-Nygard family members from 1965-1989 is also included. One folder of Lloyd Nygard biographical material, as well as a folder of notes for speeches by Nygard, is also included. Box 1, Folder 1 - Box 1, Folder 11

Series II:Organizations
This series includes materials from various organizations regarding their stand on the Burlington Dam, as well as other aspects of flood control in the Souris River Valley. The folders are arranged alphabetically by the name of the organization. Citizens United to Save the Valleys comprised the bulk of the material, although the organizations represented range from farmers groups to school boards to women's organizations. Resolutions, correspondence, and publications are typically found in the file for each organization. Although the majority of the organizations were from the United States, some Canadian organizations are included. Lloyd Nygard was involved with some, but not all, of the organizations. Box 1, Folder 12 - Box 2, Folder 12

Series III:Miscellaneous Flood Control Materials
This series consists of miscellaneous flood control materials. This includes flow data for the Souris and Des Lacs rivers, material on Garrison Diversion, miscellaneous Canadian materials, and maps. Also included are miscellaneous notes and documents. Box 2, Folder 13 - Box 2, Folder 25

Series IV:Published Government Documents
This series contains various documents published by local, state, and national governments in both the United States and Canada. The series is arranged chronologically by publication date, and several undated documents were placed at the end. This series includes publications by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Souris-Red-Rainy River Basins Commission, and the Souris Basin Development Authority, to name a few. Box 2, Folder 26 - Box 5, Folder 14

Series V: Newspaper Clippings
This series contains newspaper clippings regarding flood control developments in the Souris River Valley from 1932-2001. The majority of clippings were taken from the Minot Daily News, although clippings from other sources across the United States and Canada can be found. The clippings are arranged chronologically. Box 5, Folder 15 - Box 7, Folder 28

Three oversize folders were separated and placed in the Oversize File Cabinet. The file folders contain: charts, posters, promotional literature, and a full page newspaper advertisement from Citizens United to Save the Valleys; a full page newspaper advertisement by the Ward County Farm Bureau and Ward County Farmers Union; and flow data for the Des Lacs, Souris, and Wintering Rivers from 1904-1971. One photograph of Nygard was separated as well.

BOX AND FOLDER INVENTORY

Box 1
Folder
SERIES I: CORRESPONDENCE

  1. Biographical Material: 1969-2001
  2. Lloyd Nygard Correspondence: 1963-1969
  3. Lloyd Nygard Correspondence: 1970-1975
  4. Lloyd Nygard Correspondence: 1976-1991
  5. Lloyd Nygard Correspondence: undated
  6. Lloyd Nygard Correspondence (Agricultural): 1963-1983
  7. Notes for Speeches by Lloyd Nygard: 1977, undated
  8. Martha Nygard Correspondence: 1965-1973
  9. Mark and Joanne Nygard Correspondence: 1970, undated
  10. Non-Nygard Correspondence: 1965-1976
  11. Non-Nygard Correspondence: 1977-1989, undated

SERIES II:ORGANIZATIONS

  1. American Rivers Conservation Center and Environmental Policy Center: 1974, undated
  2. Board of County Commissioners, McHenry County: 1971
  3. Board of County Commissioners, Renville County: 1975-1976
  4. Board of Supervisors, Brandon Township (Renville County): 1977
  5. Bottineau County Township Officers Association: 1977
  6. Carpio Public Schools: 1971-1972
  7. Citizens Committee to Stop the Kindred Dam: 1970
  8. Citizens United to Save the Valleys: By-laws, undated
  9. Citizens United to Save the Valleys: Objectives and Goals, undated
  10. Citizens United to Save the Valleys: Membership, 1975, 1977
  11. Citizens United to Save the Valleys: Program Outline to Boost Membership, undated
  12. Citizens United to Save the Valleys: Correspondence, 1974-1981
  13. Citizens United to Save the Valleys: Correspondence, undated
  14. Citizens United to Save the Valleys: Meeting Minutes, 1974-1990
  15. Citizens United to Save the Valleys: Newsletters, 1975-1981
  16. Citizens United to Save the Valleys: Press Releases, 1975-1979, undated
  17. Citizens United to Save the Valleys: Flood Questionnaire, 1975
  18. Citizens United to Save the Valleys: Testimony Before Congress, 1976-1978
  19. Citizens United to Save the Valleys: Instructions for "Petition Opposing Burlington Dam Project," 1977
  20. Citizens United to Save the Valleys: "Petition Opposing Burlington Dam Project," 1977
  21. Citizens United to Save the Valleys: "Petition Opposing Burlington Dam Project," 1977
  22. Citizens United to Save the Valleys: "Petition Opposing Burlington Dam Project," 1977
  23. Citizens United to Save the Valleys: "Petition Opposing Burlington Dam Project," 1977
  24. Citizens United to Save the Valleys: Valley Rally Day, July 2001
  25. Coalition on American Rivers: 1975-1978
  26. Democratic/Nonpartisan League Party, Districts 3, 6, and 7: 1976
  27. Des Lacs City Council: 1972
  28. For Dam, Ltd.: 1976-1978
  29. Friends of the Earth: 1975-1976
  30. International Souris River Board of Control: 1979
  31. Izaak Walton League of America, Theodore Roosevelt Chapter (Minot): 1969- 1975
  32. K-W Mixettes Homemakers Club (Minot): 1972-1975
  33. Manitoba Action Committee: undated
  34. McHenry County Farm Bureau: undated
  35. McKinney Cemetery Association (Tolley): 1976
  36. Minot Implement Dealers Association: 1977
  37. Minot Rotary Club: 1966
  38. Mouse River Land Owners Association: 1963-1964, undated
  39. North Dakota Farm Bureau: 1976
  40. North Dakota Farmers Union: 1976-1977
  41. North Dakota State Water Commission: 1974-1981
  42. North Dakota Stockmen's Association: undated
  43. North Dakota Wildlife Federation: 1970-1977
  44. North Towner Farmers Union: undated
  45. Renville County Farm Bureau: undated
  46. Renville County Farmers Union: 1975-1976
  47. Renville County Soil Conservation District: 1970
  48. Sheyenne Valley Association: 1975-1979
  49. Sierra Club: 1970-1980

Box 2
Folder

  1. Souris Basin Development Authority (Regina, Saskatchewan): 1990
  2. Souris Basin Planning Council: 1976
  3. Souris River Basin International People's Involvement Group: 1977,1979
  4. Souris River Basin Study Board: 1976-1978
  5. Souris River Flood Control Committee: 1972
  6. Souris Support Association, Estevan, Saskatchewan: 1989-1990
  7. United Public School District No. 7, Des Lacs and Burlington: 1969-1978, undated
  8. Upper Mouse River Association: 1968-1971, undated
  9. Velva Association of Commerce: 1972
  10. Verendrye Electric Cooperative: 1974, 1976
  11. Ward County Farm Bureau: 1971-1977, 1991, undated
  12. Ward County Farmers Union: 1974-1977, undated

SERIES III:MISCELLANEOUS FLOOD CONTROL MATERIALS

  1. Miscellaneous Anti-Burlington Dam Documents
  2. Miscellaneous Canadian Materials: 1969-1991, undated
  3. Corps of Engineers Meeting, December 12, 1963 "First Original Plan Presented"
  4. Flow Data, Souris and Des Lacs River: 1965-1979
  5. Flow Data, Souris and Des Lacs Rivers: 1980-1998
  6. Garrison Diversion Unit: 1970-1977, undated
  7. Lake Darling
  8. Maps
  9. 1970 Petition
  10. 1974 Petition
  11. "Survey - Souris River, 1972"
  12. Miscellaneous Notes
  13. Miscellaneous Documents

SERIES IV:PUBLISHED GOVERNMENT DOCUMENTS

  1. Floods of April-May 1969 in Upper Midwestern United States. United States Department of the Interior, Geological Survey, Water Resources Division: 1970
  2. Hearings Before the Subcommittee on Flood Control -Rivers and Harbors- of the Committee on Public Works, United States Senate: 1970
  3. An Engineering Victory for Our Environment: A Citizen's Guide to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. United States Environmental Protection Agency: 1971
  4. Souris-Red-Rainy River Basins Comprehensive Study. Volume 2 (Appendix A, B, and C). Souris-Red-Rainy River Basins Commission: 1972
  5. Souris-Red-Rainy River Basins Comprehensive Study. Volume 3 (Appendix D and E). Souris-Red-Rainy River Basins Commission: 1972

Box 3
Folder

  1. Souris-Red-Rainy River Basins Comprehensive Study. Volume 4 (Appendix F, G, and H). Souris-Red-Rainy River Basins Commission: 1972
  2. Souris-Red-Rainy River Basins Comprehensive Study. Volume 5 (Appendix I and J). Souris-Red-Rainy River Basins Commission: 1972
  3. Souris-Red-Rainy River Basins Comprehensive Study. Volume 6 (Appendix K and L). Souris-Red-Rainy River Basins Commission: 1972
  4. Souris-Red-Rainy River Basins Comprehensive Study. Volume 7 (Appendix M). Souris-Red-Rainy River Basins Commission: 1972
  5. Souris-Red-Rainy River Basins Comprehensive Study. Volume 8 (Appendix O). Souris-Red-Rainy River Basins Commission: 1972
  6. Biological and Recreational Impacts of Nine Proposed Flood Control Alternatives in the Des Lacs and Souris River Flood Plains. by James Lunan, Thomas Glorvigen, and Gary Leslie. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers: 1973
  7. Draft Revised Environmental Impact Statement, Flood Control, Burlington Dam, Souris River, North Dakota. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers: 1973
  8. Design Memorandum No.2, General - Phase I - Plan Formulation, Burlington Dam, Souris River, North Dakota. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers: 1974
  9. Draft Revised Environmental Statement, Minot, North Dakota Project. Channel Modifications for Flood Control on the Souris River, North Dakota. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers: 1974
  10. Final Updated Environmental Impact Statement, Minot Channel Modification, Souris River, North Dakota. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers: 1974
  11. Transcript of Minutes of Public Meeting Covering the Burlington Dam and Associated Improvements for Flood Control on the Souris River, North Dakota. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers: February 19, 1974
  12. Burlington Dam Design Memorandum No. 2, Phase I - Plan Formulation. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers: 1975
  13. Final Updated Environmental Impact Statement: Flood Control, Burlington Dam, Souris River, North Dakota. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers: 1975
  14. Review of Alternatives for Flood Damage Reduction at Minot and Adjacent Areas. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers: 1975
  15. Sixth Annual Report of the Council on Environmental Quality. 1975
  16. Water Resources Data for North Dakota, Water Year 1976. U.S. Geological Survey: 1976
  17. Burlington Dam, Souris River, North Dakota, Design Memorandum No. 2. Phase I - Plan Formulation: 1977
  18. Draft Environmental Impact Statement, Flood Control, Burlington Dam, Souris River, North Dakota. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers: 1977

Box 4
Folder

  1. Hearings Before a Subcommittee of the Committee on Appropriations, House of Representatives. 1977
  2. Natural Flow Report. Souris River Basin Study: 1977
  3. Preliminary Evaluation of Water Supply and Flood Damage Reduction Options in the Manitoba Portion of the Souris River Basin. Souris River Basin Study: 1977
  4. Design Memorandum No. 2, Phase II - Project Design, Burlington Dam, Souris River, North Dakota. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers: 1978
  5. Final Environmental Impact Statement, Flood Control, Burlington Dam, Souris River, North Dakota. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers: 1978
  6. An Analysis of Runoff in the Souris River Basin, 1978. Saskatchewan Environment, Hydrology Branch: 1979
  7. The Rare Vascular Plants of Saskatchewan. National Museums of Canada: 1979
  8. Impacts on Canada of Operation of the Burlington Project, Souris River, North Dakota. International Souris-Red Rivers Engineering Board: 1980
  9. Draft Programmatic, Environmental Impact Statement, Lake Darling Flood Control Project, Souris River, North Dakota, and Draft Feature, Environmental Impact Statement, Velva Flood Control, Velva, North Dakota. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers: 1982
  10. General Plan Report and Draft Environmental Impact Statement, Souris River Basin Project, Saskatchewan, Canada, and North Dakota, U.S.A. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers: 1987
  11. Rafferty-Alameda Project, Environmental Impact Statement Summary Report. Souris Basin Development Authority: 1987
  12. Transcript of Proceedings of the Hearing Before the Board of Inquiry, Held in the Town of Carlyle, Province of Saskatchewan. Rafferty/Alameda Board of Inquiry, Souris Basin Development Authority: September 9, 1987
  13. Transcript of Proceedings of the Hearing Before the Board of Inquiry, Held in the Town of Estevan, Province of Saskatchewan. Rafferty/Alameda Board of Inquiry, Souris Basin Development Authority: December 3 & 4, 1987
  14. Transcript of Proceedings of the Hearing Before the Board of Inquiry, Held in the Town of Oxbow, Province of Saskatchewan. Rafferty/Alameda Board of Inquiry, Souris Basin Development Authority: September 10, 1987
  15. Transcript of Proceedings of the Hearing Before the Board of Inquiry, Held in the Town of Weyburn, Province of Saskatchewan. Rafferty/Alameda Board of Inquiry, Souris Basin Development Authority: September 12, 1987
  16. General Plan Report and Final Environmental Impact Statement, Souris River Basin Project, Saskatchewan, Canada - North Dakota, U.S.A. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers: 1988
  17. Rafferty-Alameda Board of Inquiry Final Report: 1988

Box 5
Folder

  1. City of Minot, Flood Control Promotion, Resolutions, and Letters of Support, Volume I. 1989
  2. City of Minot, Flood Control Promotion, Resolutions, and Letters of Support, Volume II. 1989
  3. Rafferty-Alameda Project, Draft Summary, Initial Environmental Evaluation. Environment Canada: 1989
  4. Supplemental Information: Souris River Basin Flood Control Project, Renville, Ward, McHenry, and Bottineau Counties - North Dakota. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers: 1989
  5. Rafferty-Alameda Project, Questions and Answers. Souris Basin Development Authority: 1990
  6. Rafferty-Alameda Project, Report of the Environmental Assessment Panel. (Canadian) Federal Environmental Assessment Review Office: 1991
  7. Design Memorandum No. 15 and Environmental Assessment, Lake Darling Dam, Souris River Basin, Flood Control Project, Souris River, North Dakota. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers: 1992
  8. Second Report to the Governments of Canada and the United States. Souris River Bilateral Water Quality Monitoring Group: 1992
  9. Third Report to the Governments of Canada and the United States. Souris River Bilateral Water Quality Monitoring Group: 1993
  10. Fourth Report to the Governments of Canada and the United States. Souris River Bilateral Water Quality Monitoring Group: 1994
  11. Fifth Report to the Governments of Canada and the United States. Souris River Bilateral Water Quality Monitoring Group: 1995
  12. From Flood to Drought: A Need for Water Management in the Souris Basin. No author, undated
  13. North Dakota Dam Design Handbook. Soil Conservation Service USDA, U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, U.S. Corps of Engineers, North Dakota Division of Emergency Management: undated
  14. Souris River Basin Water Problems and Identified Solutions. Souris River Basin Study: undated

SERIES V: NEWSPAPER CLIPPINGS

  1. Newspaper Clippings: 1932
  2. Newspaper Clippings: 1965
  3. Newspaper Clippings: 1966
  4. Newspaper Clippings: 1967
  5. Newspaper Clippings: 1968
  6. Newspaper Clippings: 1969
  7. Newspaper Clippings: 1970
  8. Newspaper Clippings: 1971
  9. Newspaper Clippings: 1972
  10. Newspaper Clippings: 1973

Box 6
Folder

  1. Newspaper Clippings: 1974
  2. Newspaper Clippings: 1974
  3. Newspaper Clippings: 1975
  4. Newspaper Clippings: 1975
  5. Newspaper Clippings: 1976
  6. Newspaper Clippings: 1976
  7. Newspaper Clippings: 1977
  8. Newspaper Clippings: 1977
  9. Newspaper Clippings: 1978
  10. Newspaper Clippings: 1978

Box 7
Folder

  1. Newspaper Clippings: 1979
  2. Newspaper Clippings: 1980
  3. Newspaper Clippings: 1981
  4. Newspaper Clippings: 1982
  5. Newspaper Clippings: 1983
  6. Newspaper Clippings: 1984
  7. Newspaper Clippings: 1985
  8. Newspaper Clippings: 1986
  9. Newspaper Clippings: 1987
  10. Newspaper Clippings: 1988
  11. Newspaper Clippings: 1989
  12. Newspaper Clippings: 1990
  13. Newspaper Clippings: 1991
  14. Newspaper Clippings: 1993
  15. Newspaper Clippings: 1994
  16. Newspaper Clippings: 1997
  17. Newspaper Clippings: 1999
  18. Newspaper Clippings: 2001

SEPARATIONS RECORD

Three oversize folders were separated and placed in the Oversize File Cabinet.

  1. Citizens United to Save the Valleys: Charts, posters, promotional literature
  2. Full length newspaper advertisements: Ward County Farm Bureau and Ward County Farmers Union, 1974; Citizens United to Save the Valleys, 1980
  3. Flow data for the Des Lacs, Souris, and Wintering Rivers: 1904-1971

One photograph of Lloyd Nygard was separated and added to the Orin G. Libby Photograph Collection. It was given photograph number OGL1422-1.

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