Corps finishes $9M Tolna Coulee control structure

DEVILS LAKE, N.D. (AP) — The Army Corps of Engineers has finished building a $9 million flood control structure on the Tolna Coulee.

The project is designed to prevent a possible uncontrolled spill of Devils Lake floodwaters into the Sheyenne River. The coulee is a natural outlet between the lake and the river.

Some area officials have said the structure might act like a dam and worsen flooding in the lake basin, but the city of Devils Lake last fall dropped its effort to stop the state from using eminent domain to take city-owned land for the project.

The control structure will be turned over to the state Water Commission, which will operate and maintain it.

Devils Lake reached a record level last year after nearly two decades of wet weather.

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