Devils Lake is located in North Dakota. Its water levels have risen, flooding waterfront land. Factors contributing to the increased water levels in the lake include, 22,700 drains in the upper Devils Lake basin that have been built over the years routing water to the lake, the devastating disapearance of wetlands which act as natural drains, and unusually high levels of precipitation. The State of North Dakota is in the process of constructing an outlet, which will drain water from Devils Lake into the Sheyenne River, which in turn drains into the Red River, and ultimately into Hudson’s Bay. Water levels in Devils Lake would need to rise 12 more feet, doubling in surface area before the Lake would naturally drain into the Sheyenne River. It would take record precipitation for 21 years for that amount of water to accumulate.

Map of the Basin:

5 Reasons to Care about the Devils Lake Outlet:

• Devils Lake Outlet is being built without an Environmental Impact Assessment having been done by the State of North Dakota.
• The threat of the introduction of alien species and bacteria into the rivers is real. North Dakota’s sport fish stocking program introduced species not native to the region, which threaten to displace indigenous species, and could transfer disease and pathogens.
• Pollutants such as sulphate, phosphate, mercury, boron and arsenic are present in Devils Lake. No research exists on the impacts of the movement of these pollutants on water quality when the State of North Dakota diverts this water to where it has not flowed before.
• The construction of the Devils Lake Outlet is in likely violation of the Boundary Water Treaty; the Treaty applies to rivers and lakes shared by the United States and Canada. It bars the United States from polluting Canadian waters in such a way as to harm property or health and vice-versa. By ignoring the existence of the Boundary Water Treaty, North Dakota is endangering this environmental law.
• Alternatives exist to address Devils Lake water levels, however they have not been explored. The Outlet will reduce water levels in Devils Lake by only 1.5 inches annually. The restoration of Upper Basin Wetlands could increase evaporation naturally removing 30 inches a year, reducing run-off to the Lake. Other options include closing some of the 22,700 constructed drains as they speed water into the lake.

Take Action Now!

Read more on the issue: Protecting Our Water, published by the Government of Manitoba

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