[Mb-civic] CBC News - DEAL STRUCK ON DEVILS LAKE DIVERSION

Sat Aug 6 16:50:48 PDT 2005

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DEAL STRUCK ON DEVILS LAKE DIVERSION
WebPosted Sat Aug  6 08:27:32 2005

---Canada and the United States have reached a deal to end a dispute over
the Devils Lake water diversion project. The agreement calls for both
sides to design an advanced filter, if needed, to protect Manitoba
waterways from foreign organisms.

Manitoba has been fighting the flood control project because of
concerns that water from North Dakota could pollute the Red River and
Lake Winnipeg.

As the deal was announced late Friday, water was already flowing north
into a tributary of Manitoba's Red River.

North Dakota began testing the pumps on the flood control project earlier
this week. FROM AUG. 4,
2005: Filter built to ease Devils Lake concerns

"We have been running them off and on," said North Dakota state engineer
Dale Frink. "We have shutdown for the weekend &#8230; but we do have
water in the canal, and the water is flowing toward the Sheyenne River.

Manitoba Premier Gary Doer says he is pleased there's an agreement on a
filtration system. The deal comes more than 18 months after Canada first
called on the U.S. to have the Devils Lake project reviewed.

The state government installed a $50,000 gravel filter over the past week
to screen out organisms larger than two millimeters in diameter, such as
fish, fish eggs and some plants.

A permanent filter to be built over the next year could cost as much
as $20 million &#8211; and may involve Canada picking up a portion
of the cost.

Despite work on the filter, People to Save the Sheyenne, a citizens'
group that has allied with Manitoba against the outlet, is dismayed the
water is flowing at all.

"Any water is bad. It just sets a bad precedent," said Milton Sauer, the
group's president. "It's just not the thing to do. But I'm afraid that's
what's happening."