# Why not pump Devils Lake Water to Sak?



## duketter (Nov 24, 2004)

Just curious...why can't we finish the outlet and pump the Devils Lake water into Sak? Isn't it almost complete anyways? Sure, it may only take a couple inches of water off a year....but that lake is huge and 2-3 inches off the entire lake would be a lot of water you would think?


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## Decoyer (Mar 2, 2002)

Its up-hill to Sak. The pure physics of it would be impossible.


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## duketter (Nov 24, 2004)

Really? I thought they already had it pretty much completed? Why did they get that far and then find out it was impossible? Not saying you are wrong...I am just confused.


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## BigDaddy (Mar 4, 2002)

I think Decoyer is right. Its the same reason why the McClusky canal goes nowhere.


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## Ron Gilmore (Jan 7, 2003)

The intent was to bring waster from Sak to DL. Not the other way around. Over the last 5 years I have read and listened to a number of engineers about this issue. A pressurized pipeline would be needed to do this. Plus the costs are way beyond reason for a pipeline capable of providing any relief.


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## Decoyer (Mar 2, 2002)

What channel are you refering to? Are you sure it doesn't flow the other way?


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## nodakoutdoors.com (Feb 27, 2002)

I wasn't aware it was even attempted? Like Decoyer said, the lay of the land makes it impossible or if possible, more than we'd could afford. 

I don't claim to know all the politics on this so I'm open to being wrong.


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## duketter (Nov 24, 2004)

Ok, thanks for clearing that up. For some reason..I thought I heard that the canal was for pumping D.L. water to Sak. Now it makes sense.


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## duckslayer (Oct 30, 2003)

Yeah, and the outlet is pumping water uphill in 2 areas also. What a joke, waste of money in my opinion.


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## Bobm (Aug 26, 2003)

I want to sell the pump give them my name :lol: what is the elevation difference, the distance between the lakes and the volume you want to pump and the time frame you want it pumped. I'll figure out the horspower?


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## Plainsman (Jul 30, 2003)

The channel they are digging is going into the Sheyenne river about 15 miles west of Sheyenne. Much of it is completed, but the problem they will face is that this violates the treaty with Canada. They will spend all this money and perhaps international law will stop them so here we sit with another multi million dollar empty canal.

Also, the McClusky canal stopped because funding stopped. People finally realized that they were flooding the most productive bottom lands to irrigate unproductive uplands. Not all land is suitable for irrigation. The whole project was being built with 1940's technology. The McClusky canal was sluffing in and repair was millions of dollars per year.


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## swift (Jun 4, 2004)

If DL water was pumped into Sak the corp would just increase flows anyway. The four year drought is tough but the Corp of Engineers turned it into a 500 Year drought.


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## DCOYNUT (Nov 27, 2003)

that would be expensive and dumb. Screw SAK. Devils Lake is the best walleye fishery in the midwest, why dick around with the water levels now. Obviously there is a reason for the high fish numbers: High water.

High water+trees/brush=fish habitat, which equals higher numbers of adult fish.


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## strand (Sep 29, 2004)

I have read a lot on this issue and it will cost more to pump the water than the state will bring in to offset the costs. They only want to pump for 3 months out of the year.


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## tail chaser (Sep 24, 2004)

Dcoynut, you might want to be a little more kind to Sak, I agree D L is a better fishery but just wait untill this summer when all those that use to fish Sak come to fish DL and your favorite spot. Here comes the pressure!

Sak is 150 feet higher than DL (somebody asked)

TC


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## strand (Sep 29, 2004)

I agree man. Sakakawea is one hell of a fishery.

There is still a lot of good fishing to be had right now, a guy's just gotta drive a little ways first.


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