Russ served on the Garrison Conservancy District Board for twenty years, four years on the State Water Commission and eight years as Chairman of the ND Wetlands Trust in addition to his day to day efforts as Editor of the Devils Lake Journal for 30 years.  During that time he served in a variety of other community efforts.

Russ served on the Garrison Conservancy District Board for twenty years, four years on the State Water Commission and eight years as Chairman of the ND Wetlands Trust in addition to his day to day efforts as Editor of the Devils Lake Journal for 30 years.  During that time he served in a variety of other community efforts.

Russ dedicated his entire life to the Devils Lake community & began his ‘water’ career in 1942 as a director of the ND Reclamation Assoc.   That dedication to water issues in the DL Basin and ND continued until his death in January 2006!