BISMARCK - Gov. Jack Dalrymple today asked Col. Robert Ruch, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' Omaha district commander, to expedite a state permit request for construction of a water-control structure at Tolna Coulee in the Devils Lake Basin.
"The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is critical in our efforts to manage Devils Lake and Col. Ruch is fully aware of the challenges before us," Dalrymple said in a statement. "We will continue pressing to resolve Devils Lake flooding, flooding along the Red River and other water-related issues."
During their meeting, Dalrymple told Ruch that building a control structure at Tolna Coulee is one of three state projects that, together, will address chronic flooding at Devils Lake while protecting downstream interests.
State officials plan to expand the lake's west-end outlet to increase water discharges from 250 cubic feet per second to 350 cfs; build an east-end outlet with a discharge capacity of 250 cfs; and build a control structure at Tolna Coulee.
Dalrymple also reiterated his strong opposition to a recent Corps proposal that calls for charging North Dakota water users a fee for water taken from the Missouri River reservoir.
