The Devils Lake Water Improvement District (DLWID) Board held its meeting on Thursday June 12th at 6:00pm. The topic of the night was lake level and the DLNA helped bring many a concerned citizen to the meeting. In all 104 were in attendance and 17 provided testimony.
The DLNA asked the District to resolve to exercise the maximum impoundment right of 9.53’ by installing the dam structure by May 15th while placing the center section only after the lake level drops below 9.53’continuing full impoundment through October 15th. The DLNA also raised concerns about the potential of losing our water right forever as a result of the Districts failure to fully impound to 9.53 at least once in a five year period.
After much debate Brian Green made a motion to maintain the current policy which is a lake level of 9.0′ which failed 3-2. Then Kip Ward made a motion to remove the dam which failed for lack of a second. Then new Director Kent Norris made a motion to adopt the DLNA proposal which failed 3-2.
The final outcome was a motion made by David Skirvin and seconded by Kent Norris to raise the lake to 9.53 long enough to protect the water right, (likely around July 1st), then the boards will be adjusted to 9.0, but the level will be allowed to overtop rather than opening the gap wider which should see a slow drop to 9.0, the we start the managed drawdown to 8.6 beginning August 1 through October 1st.
In the end our concerns about the potential of losing our water right forever persuaded the Board to forward this policy for the coming year. We’re thrilled that the water right clock will be reset and will continue to work with the District on a variety of neighborhood projects.
