Next Steps for Study
May 21, 2009, Public Meeting: Present the approved recommended alignment and show next steps for spring rising water issues. Begin to focus in on specific property and alignment sections, where new embankment work is planned to fine tune alignment. As a result of the lake forecast of record high levels, design and construction of the existing embankment is progressing on a parallel path. May 2009: Start detailed engineering work on Creel Bay and pump stations June 2009: Begin land acquisitions in first areas of construction. August 2009: Complete environmental assessment and award construction contracts for initial raise and pump station.
How to Get More Information
Write, call, or e-mail Kevin Bluhm 651-290-5247 kevin.w.bluhm@usace.army.mil St. Paul District U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Sibley Square at Mears Park 190 5th Street East Ste 401 ATTN: PM-E St. Paul, MN 55101-1638 Bruce Engelhardt 701-328-4958 bengelhardt@nd.gov North Dakota State Water Commission 900 East Boulevard Bismarck, ND 58505-0850 Technical repor ts
All past Corps technical reports associated with Devils Lake, including the Draft Integrated Planning Report/EIS, and Infrastructure Report, are available for review at: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Paul District
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers St. Paul District
DEVILS LAKE STUDY NEWSLETTER
Issue #6, May 2009
North Dakota State Water Commission
The City of Devils Lake Will Be the Local Sponsor of Any Additional Embankment Work and Support the Corps Recommended Alignment
In a vote at the city council in January, the city council members voted to be the local sponsor of any additional construction projects to further protect the city of Devils Lake. This role is very similar to the responsibility the city currently has with the embankments in place. The city will work with the Corps of Engineers to accept a design, costs, and an operation and maintenance plan for any additional embankments that would be constructed to protect the city from rising lake levels. In a vote at a special city council meeting in April, the city council members voted to adopt the Corps’ recommended alignment. At the same meeting, the Creel Township supervisors also voted to adopt the Corps’ recommended alignment. The recommended alignment is shown on the inside of this newsletter and will be discussed in detail at the upcoming public meeting on May 21 in Devils Lake.
www.mvp.usace.army.mil/devilslake
North Dakota State Water Commission
www.swc.state.nd.us
Also available on the Corps website is additional project information, background information, mailing list sign-up information, and all project newsletters.
Are You Concerned about the New Embankment Work and Wondering if Your Property Will be Affected or What Options You Have?
While the Corps preferred alignment is narrowing in on the placement of any future embankment, we need to work with individuals now because the alignment of the new embankment will go through many neighborhoods, and the lines we have drawn are not exact. The Corps design team members will make ourselves available before and after the public meeting to discuss specific property issues and look at large scale maps. These maps will show the existing homes, roads, and utilities with our preferred embankment alignment drawn to give us a starting point. We encourage anyone who has property near the proposed alignment (the yellow line on the map on page 2) to take extra time to look at the detailed maps and ask questions to help us finalize the exact route the construction work will take place. We will be available from 2 to 5 p.m. on Thursday and again Friday from 8 a.m. to noon in the basement of the Ramsey County Courthouse. To reserve a time to meet, please call Kevin Bluhm at 651-290-5247 and schedule time where we can discuss your concerns.
printed on recycled paper with soy ink
Devils Lake Study Public Open House Meeting
Location
Devils Lake, N.D.
Date
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Time
6 - 8 p.m.
Meeting Place
Ramsey Co. Courthouse - basement 524 4th Ave., Devils Lake, N.D.
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers St. Paul District c/o Kevin Bluhm (ATTN: PM-E) 190 5th Street East, Ste. 401 St. Paul, MN 55101-1638
Return Service Requested
The meeting is a slide presentation with Questions & Answers after. The presentation is approx. 40 minutes long. Individuals who need directions to the meeting place or who require an auxiliary aid or service, should contact Kevin Bluhm, Corps of Engineers, by May 15 at 651-290-5247.
NOTE: In the Lakewood/Acorn Ridge area, high ground tie in points will not need construction
This map shows the Corps preferred alignment in yellow and the existing embankment in red.
What’s Happening with the Embankment Alignments in the Lakewood Area?
At the public meeting in November we agreed to look at other alignment options in the Lakewood area. Since then we have evaluated what it would cost to build the alignment out in the water and protect all of Lakewood and also an alignment right along the shoreline. To build out in the water and protect everyone along the shore would require very expensive cofferdam construction and is estimated to cost $38 million more than the preferred alignment presented at the meeting. The alignment right along the shore is estimated to cost an additional $6 to 9 million. We have adjusted the alignment by the Bible Camp to protect the facility with a minimal increase in cost. These options with costs were presented to the local sponsor. On April 9 the decision was made to design the Corps’ preferred alignment. Results and recommendations will be presented at the public meeting on May 21.
Should I Have Flood Insurance?
By Jeff Klein, State NFIP Coordinator Around Devils Lake and below elevation 1455’ — an emphatic yes! As Devils Lake slowly reclaims its large and misshapen lakebed, buildings within its path are completely destroyed. Here are some quick facts on flood insurance: -Available from any licensed property agent; -Covers surface water flooding (not seepage, groundwater or mold); -Covers buildings that have at least two walls and a roof and are principally above ground; -Policies are written for residential and nonresidential buildings; -Building and contents coverages are written separately; -There is a 30-day waiting period before it becomes effective; -Policy Limits are $250,000 for residential buildings and $500,000 for nonresidential buildings; -The standard deductible can be $500 or $1,000, but deductible options can range to a maximum of $5,000; -The average premium in North Dakota is $617 and in the Devils Lake area $521. Keep in mind, flood insurance is catastrophic in its coverage and can keep you from a complete or a significant financial setback. Around Devils Lake (and due to the nature of its flooding) all paid flood claims are considered a total loss because the floodwater does not recede, as does the typical riverine flood hazard. Carrying a Flood Insurance policy is a pro-active measure that financially shields you from the devastation Devils Lake is well known to inflict. The flood insurance policy contains a continuous lake flooding endorsement feature that acts as a relocation mechanism. However, this is available only to long-standing policyholders within four jurisdictions of Devils Lake, Creel Township (of Ramsey County), Benson County and Minnewaukan. For all other policyholders around Devils Lake, the flood insurance claim process will be initiated by water touching the structure or by imminent threat from the lake.
How High Do The Embankments Need to Be?
With Tolna Coulee at an elevation of 1459 acting as a spillway, the embankments protecting the city of Devils Lake would need to be at an elevation of 1468, should the lake rise to its maximum elevation. The current plan is to begin work on Phase I in late summer/fall, with a raise to 1465 to minimize the amount of funds needed for construction. However, the embankments would be built wide enough (including acquisition of necessary real estate) to readily accommodate an additional raise to 1468 if needed. The overall base width of the embankment is still being discussed, but for the Phase I actions, a wide base is being used.
How Soon Can Construction Begin?
The current plan is that the work could begin along some portion of the existing alignment this summer, with other reaches and the pump stations following next. This would allow time for the details of the other alignments to be worked out.
At the Lake Levels the National Weather Service is Predicting; My House is Going to Get Flooded – What’s Going to Happen to Me?
If your house is on the outside of the embankment, access will be provided until the lake reaches critical levels. You may want to contact your local floodplain manager or FEMA to review your options or take action for the future with rising lake levels.
What about the Embankments on the Spirit Lake Reservation, the Roads Acting as Dams, and Minnewaukan?
We are continuing to work with Minnewakan, the Spirit Lake Nation, and Nelson County to address their concerns. The Corps of Engineers is coordinating with the Federal Highway Administration on the Highway 20 alignment in the Acorn Ridge area. The Bureau of Indian Affairs and Federal Highway Administration continue to work on the roads acting as dams issue and plan to start construction this summer.
Are the City Embankments a Levee or a Dam?
Although the embankments were always built structurally and geotechnically to function as a dam with water against them for long periods of time, they were initially treated as levees. However, since Hurricane Katrina, they have been reevaluated and it is recommended that they be treated as dams. Which means they must meet dam safety criteria. Levee and dam safety criteria have different analyses, however, the top of embankment elevation results for both are very similar. Also, both use the same wave run-up calculation to determine freeboard.
This map section shows the first area in need of additional construction. The area pictured is the northern end of Creel Bay by the airport. This area has high wave run-up potential and will be the first area raised should work begin. Pump stations in this area are also items of first consideration as we begin to prepare for rising lake levels.