Devils Lake – Earlier today, the North Dakota Department of Water Resources (DWR) began annual discharge operations of the state-owned Devils Lake West End Outlet at 200 cubic feet per second (cfs).

The East End Outlet could start running as early as next week, according to the DWR. At full capacity, the Devils Lake outlets can discharge 600 cfs combined. Water quality and downstream channel capacity will be monitored and may limit releases depending on conditions. In 2023, the maximum combined output was 400 cfs during the summer months.  

The Devils Lake Outlets Management Advisory Committee voted in April to run both outlets at full capacity if conditions permit during the operating season. The DWR manages operation of the outlets within water quality and quantity constraints. Overnight freezing temperatures over the last week dampened efforts to start outlet operations, according to the DWR.

“As we begin the 2024 outlets’ operating season, we remain committed to removing as much flood water as possible from Devils Lake,” DWR Director Andrea Travnicek said.

The lake’s elevation was 1,449.4 feet as of this morning.

The Devils Lake West End Outlet was constructed in 2005, followed by the East End Outlet in 2012 after the lake reached a record elevation of 1454.3 feet in 2011. Since then, the lake’s level has been steadily declining, aside from wetter than average seasons in 2022 and 2023.