Devils Lake weekly world. (Devils Lake, N.D.) 1911-1914, 1912-03-01
ADDITIONAL FACTS IN CoNTINu-
ALTON -oF THE REPORT MADE
EXCLUSIVELY IN wEDNEs-
DAYS WORLD-PROJECT IS DIS
CUssED IN DETAIL BY STATE
ENGINEER.

ENGINEER.
The first news in Devils Lake Of En-
gineer Atkinson IS report On the Mouse
River drainage proposition was given
in The World last evening but as the
details could not be procured it would
not be amiss to give the compete re-
port which has been made in compli-
ance with bill which pessed the last
session of the legislature, providing for
a survey to determine the feasibility
Of diverting the flood waters Of the
Mouse river into Devils Lake.
The report shows that the lake has
been steadily decreasing in size for
many years, and it is known that the
lake surface has fallen eighteen feet
since 1867, IA feet since 1879, seven
feet since 1887, five feet since 1909 and
three feet since 1907. The government
surveys made in the early eighties
show that the lake had water surface
Of l12 square miles at that time, while
today it is estimated that the water
surface is sixty square miles.
Annual Shortage Of Six Inches.
Statistics obtained by Prof. Chand-
ler,, professor Of civil engineering at
she state university, and in charge of
stream gaging for the United States
geological survey in North Dakota and
eastern Minnesota, show that the aver
age annual evaporation from Devils
Lake is thirtyfve inches and the total
water supply from rainfall and run
off is twenty-nine inches, leaving an an
nual shortage Of six inches.
There has been much agitation rela-
tive to draining the flood waters Of the
Mouse river into Devils Lake in order
to prevent further shripkage, but here.
tofore noadefnite idea .as,sto the fcasa!
bility Of the proposition has been secur.
ed. u
The fled surveys were made by j
w. Bliss, assistant state engineer and
total Of 1875 miles of levels were run
the valleys Of the Mouse, Sheyenne and
Wintering rivers were cross sectioned
at various points and numerous amer
old observations were taken to deter
mine elevations. The propositions tt
bring the Mouse river through by the
way of Willow creek and through Hur
ricane lake were abandoned for the
reason that the summit between the
Willow creek waters and the water!
running into Devils Lake was rs fee
above the present surface of the lake
The present elevation Of the lake above
sea level is 1925 and the elevation of thu
Mouse river at the mouth Of Willow
creek is the same as the lake, while i
was found that the elevation of tn
river at the mouth Of Wintering creel
is thirty feet higher than the presen
elevation of the lake. 1t was als'
found that the Sheyenne river at
point six miles east of the town O
Sheyenne is twelve feet lower than tn
present lake elevation.
Excavate sixty-Five Miles.
After large number Of aneroid Oh
servations were taken by the state en-
gineer on the territory between Devil
Lake and the Mouse river and fro1
the Sheyenne north to the Turtle noun
tains, it was decided that the only pos
sible route worth while surveying wa
from point on the Mouse river nea
the mouth Of Wintering creek to tn
Sheyenne river by the way Of Buffal
and Girard lakes. It is thought tina
the glacial lake Souris, which in tn
glacial period covered the Mouse rive
loup country and some Of the territor
east Of Mouse river, found its outle
to the Sheyenne by this route. Th
route is approximately 103 miles long
thirty-eight miles Of which lies alon
the valley Of the Sheyenne river an
sixty-fve miles Of which would have t
be excavated.
Construct Two Dams.
The survey establishes the fact thu
in order to divert the waters of th
river it would be necessary to construe
dam in the Mouse river near I'll
mouth of Wintering creek and one
the Sheyenne river six miles east Of II
town of Sheyenne. The dam on IL
Mouse river would create reserve
$500 acres in extent which would e
tend nearly to the town of Velva.
large part of this proposed reserve
is bottom land and the land dana;
would, be heavy. The Sheyenne rcse
voir would cover $500 acres Of lar