[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 101 (Tuesday, September 5, 2000)]
[Senate]
[Pages S7997-S7998]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS

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                           DEVILS LAKE OUTLET

 Mr. DORGAN. Mr. President, I have spoken many times about the 
need for an emergency outlet for Devils Lake. An article from the Fargo 
Forum reaffirms the need to act expediently to build an emergency 
outlet for Devils Lake before a catastrophic natural spill occurs.
  Mr. President, I ask that the article be printed in the Record.

                 [From the Fargo Forum, Aug. 22, 2000]

                     USGS Adds Evidence for Outlet

       A little-noticed report from the U.S. Geological Survey 
     adds more to the vast body of evidence that the Devils Lake, 
     N.D., area is in a wet cycle and will remain in a wet cycle 
     for some time to come.
       And that means Devils Lake, which rose 25 feet from 
     February 1993 to August 1999, likely will continue to rise. 
     The lake's elevation today is about 1446.3 feet, or slightly 
     down

[[Page S7998]]

     from last year's 130-year high. The lake naturally discharges 
     into Stump Lake to the east at level 1447 feet, and into the 
     Tolna Coulee and Sheyenne River at elevation 1459 feet.
       Given the USGS conclusions that the wet conditions which 
     have dominated the region since 1977 will continue for at 
     least another decade, it is not unreasonable to assume the 
     lake will rise to the breakout level of 1459 feet.
       What happens then?
       USGS research suggests a spill into the Sheyenne River 
     would be catastrophic downstream. A discharge would erode 
     sediments in the natural drainage pathways and dump up to 2 
     million acre feet of water into the river, or about four 
     times the volume of the 1997 flood at Lisbon, N.D. That 
     incredible flood of water would be in addition to normal 
     flows in the Sheyenne.
       Opponents of a Devils Lake outlet refuse to recognize the 
     potential of a lake breakout. Like blissful Pollyannas, they 
     don't believe the worst can happen.
       It can. If wet conditions persist and nothing is done to 
     control the lake's level, it will.
       USGS also says a properly managed outlet would moderate the 
     effects of a catastrophic natural lake breakout. An outlet 
     might not prevent a natural spill into the Sheyenne, but USGS 
     believes chances of a damaging spill would be reduced. Spill 
     volumes and durations would be reduced, thus reducing 
     downstream damage.
       An outlet remains the best option for managing the lake's 
     level and protecting downstream interests on the Sheyenne 
     River. The USGS report is the latest evidence supporting an 
     outlet.
       Flood prevention is better than reacting to a disaster. The 
     permanent flood at Devils Lake has caused more than its share 
     of personal heartache and property damage. As the lake 
     rises--it will--the potential for disaster will rise with it. 
     Building an outlet now at least will put in place a tool to 
     moderate the effects of the rising water.

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