JOINT PRESS STATEMENT
ON DEVILS LAKE FLOODING AND ECOLOGICAL PROTECTION
BY THE UNITED STATES AND CANADA, NORTH DAKOTA,
MINNESOTA AND MANITOBA
05/08/2005 - The United States and Canada
today announced that important progress has
been made toward addressing flooding in Devils
Lake while protecting aquatic resources throughout
the Red River Basin. Consistent with the history
of cooperation under the Canada-U.S. Boundary
Waters Treaty, the mutually accepted approach
is the product of extensive cross-border consultation
and cooperation by North Dakota, Minnesota
and Manitoba over several months.
The proposed approach provides for a layered
system of environmental safeguards at the
Devils Lake outlet and a cooperative approach
to monitoring throughout the Red River Basin.
Since 1993, Devils Lake has rapidly risen,
growing from 70 square miles to more than
200 square miles and flooding communities,
schools and farms. To help control flooding,
North Dakota will soon complete construction
of an outlet to carry some of this water from
Devils Lake to the Sheyenne River.
In response to concerns raised by Canada,
Manitoba and Minnesota about the potential
for deterioration of water quality and other
environmental effects, government experts
consulted extensively and worked in close
cooperation over the last several months to:
• evaluate water quality safeguards and the
permit limits for the project;
• share and review prior scientific work
studying the potential for “aquatic nuisance
species,” such as invasive fish or plants,
and parasites;
• jointly conduct a rapid bio-assessment
of the Lake by 20 biologists from the U.S.
and Canada to enhance our collective understanding
of Lake organisms; and
• develop shared strategies to protect the
broader Red River Basin from future risk of
aquatic nuisance species that might pose a
significant risk to the Basin.
Based on this review and the arrangements
outlined below, the participants have a higher
level of confidence that the outlet can be
operated in a manner that will not pose an
unreasonable risk to the other parts of the
Basin.
To protect against the ongoing risks of any
aquatic nuisance species entering the Basin
through Devils Lake or through other parts
of the watershed, the participants have agreed
upon the following layered approach involving
both mitigation measures and joint monitoring.
Specifically:
• North Dakota will put in place a rock and
gravel intermediate filter before opening
the outlet, to prevent the release of macroscopic
aquatic nuisance species from Devils Lake;
• the United States and Canada will cooperate
in the design and construction of a more advanced
filtration and/or disinfection system for
the Devils Lake outlet, taking into account
the results of ongoing monitoring and risk
assessment;
• the participants will work with the International
Red River Board, of the International Joint
Commission, to develop and implement a shared
risk management strategy for the greater Red
River Basin, involving an early detection
and monitoring system for water quality and
aquatic nuisance species throughout the Basin;
• the participants will take immediate measures
to prevent the spread of any aquatic nuisance
species that pose significant risk to the
Basin, should any be identified;
• the Province of Manitoba will complete
tasks associated with mitigating the impacts
of the Pembina Border Dike no later than August
31, 2005; and
• to address concerns raised by Canada, Manitoba
and Minnesota with respect to an inlet being
built from the Missouri River to Devils Lake
to help stabilize lake levels, North Dakota
affirms it does not have such a current intention,
plan or prospective proposal to construct
such an inlet; and the US federal government
affirms that it is prohibited by federal law
from expending funds towards the construction
of such an inlet.
“This arrangement both reaffirms our mutual
cooperation under the Boundary Waters Treaty
and deals with our environmental concerns,”
said Foreign Affairs Minister Pierre Pettigrew.
“I am particularly pleased that we were able
to work in close cooperation with the Government
of Manitoba to address the concerns of Manitobans.”
U.S. Ambassador David Wilkins also expressed
his support for the cooperative approach.
“This is a triumph for diplomacy. It is a
wonderful example of how our two countries
can work together for the benefit of our shared
environment and our shared resources.”
“The layered system of safeguards will provide
a level of protection that is essential,”
said Environment Minister Stéphane
Dion. “The approach also reaffirms our mutual
interest to work together to address our shared
environmental interests.”
“This approach represents an important and
positive achievement for all the parties,”
said North Dakota Governor John Hoeven. “The
outlet will be an important step forward in
providing relief for the thousands of North
Dakotans who have faced hardship due to the
historic flooding levels of Devils Lake.”
“This is positive,” said Manitoba Premier
Gary Doer. “We are pleased our two countries
could come to a common approach to take mitigation
measures to protect Manitoba’s resources.
“The benefit of this approach is that we
will be working together to manage the entire
Red River Basin,” Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty.
“We will all benefit from this increased level
of protection for our aquatic resources.”
“This arrangement demonstrates that with
collaboration of all levels of government
in both Canada and the United States, we can
reach a consensus,” said Reg Alcock, Federal
Minister responsible for Manitoba. “We are
protecting Manitoba’s waterways while providing
flood relief to our neighbours in North Dakota.”
As the parties work to conclude the analysis
of the rapid bio-assessment testing, a number
of intermediate measures are being put in
place, including a mesh screen and a rock
and gravel filter. These measures, combined
with the rapid bio-assessment testing, provide
a higher level of confidence that the necessary
precautions have been put in place. The parties
are working to finalize this arrangement prior
to the completion of the testing phase of
the operation.
