The city of Devils Lake has dropped its appeal of the state of North Dakota's plan to take city-owned land to build a control structure on the Tolna Coulee.
The Devils Lake City Commission's unanimous vote reverses the city's opposition to a control structure, which city leaders have called a dam that would provide relief to people downstream but would further exacerbate flooding problems in the Upper Devils Lake Basin.
The state had exercised quick-take eminent domain authority in order to begin construction of a control structure to prevent a catastrophic overflow of Devils Lake.
Gov. Jack Dalrymple and staff members were on hand Wednesday to explain the actions the state was taking to address Devils Lake flooding and answer any questions the city had.
"Both sides agreed it was time to work together for the good of all of North Dakota," Mayor Dick Johnson said. "The city understood the project was needed to offer flood protection for downstream areas and hopes downstream will work with the area to get additional water off the lake."
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Devils Lake has risen by about 32 feet since 1993, reaching a record elevation this past summer of 1,454.4 feet above sea level, less four feet from the elevation at which it will begin spilling naturally from Stump Lake through the Tolna Coulee to the Sheyenne River.
The state currently operates a controlled outlet, which can move a maximum of 250 cubic feet of water per second, on the west end of Devils Lake.
It currently is beginning construction on a second controlled outlet, with a 350-cfs capacity, from East Devils Lake to the Tolna Coulee and plans to build a gravity-flow outlet from Stump Lake to the Sheyenne.
Recently, the State Water Commission approved additional contracts to construct the controlled outlet from East Devils Lake and approved funding to develop a gravity outlet from Stump Lake.
The planned control structure is being designed to prevent a catastrophic overflow from Stump Lake by holding water back.
The control structure would not operate until the lake overflows naturally. Stop logs then would be removed as natural erosion occurs, lowering the natural spill elevation.
The gravity outlet is being designed to allow water to flow until the lake is lowered to 1,452 feet.
Devils Lake and Upper Basin officials had been arguing that the gravity outlet level should be lowered to and maintained at 1,446 feet. That, they said, would provide Upper Basin flood relief.
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While city officials expressed appreciation for the work the state had done, they vowed to continue their efforts to remove more water from the lake.
Kevin Bonham is a reporter at The Forum of Fargo-Moorhead, which is owned by Forum Communications Co.
