The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is seeking public input on how to protect the city of Devils Lake from its rising lake.
"We want to include residents in the process, so we have scheduled this meeting while the alignments are still very rough," said Corps Project Manager Bonnie Greenleaf in a press release.
Studies thus far show reliable protection will require modifications to Devils Lake's embankment system. No land acquisitions are in the works yet. Maps of the potential alignments are available at www.mvp.usace.army.mil/devils lake .
The area of greatest concern is south of the city, including Acorn Ridge, Lakewood and Camp Grafton. The Corps said that the uncertainty is due to many complex factors that include ground elevation, ponding areas, groundwater issues, underground utilities and existing homes.
"If the lake continues to rise, the impact on the community will be significant," said Greenleaf. "Advance planning is critical."
