Manitoba remains caught up in a political sparring match over a proposed outlet from Devils Lake, North Dakota.
The American lake has risen eight metres since 1993, causing millions of dollars in damage to homes, farmland and roads.
The North Dakota government sees the proposed outlet as one way to ease that flooding.
Manitoba isn’t convinced of the project’s merit, and worries that water released from Devils Lake could harm the water quality of the Red River and Lake Winnipeg. Foreign plant and fish life also are a concern.
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Water released from Devils Lake would flow into the Sheyenne River and would eventually spill into the Red River. The Red flows north into Lake Winnipeg, which hosts a valuable commercial and sport fishing industry.
“We just can’t take a chance with this issue,” said Dwight Williamson, of Manitoba Conservation.
Until now, the United States government has shared in cross-border discussions about Devils Lake. However, Williamson said there is a risk that North Dakota may grow weary of diplomacy if the lake continues to rise.
“North Dakota has indicated that if they don’t see progress, they may move ahead on their own.
“If the United States federal government is not involved, that’s a whole different ball game for us.”
On the other hand, if the U.S. government opts to endorse the proposed outlet project, Williamson said Manitoba wants it to do a full environmental assessment before construction begins.
