Official says Devils Lake Spillover Risk Unacceptable

DEVILS LAKE, N.D. (AP) - Devils Lake City Engineer Mike

Grafsgaard says a U.S. Geological Survey model puts the odds of

Devils Lake reaching its natural overflow elevation within the next

10 years at as high as 10 percent.

Grafsgaard says that might help make the case that the region is

dealing with an emergency that the federal government needs to act

on. He says a risk that high normally would not be considered

acceptable by federal agencies.

Federal Emergency Management Agency Administrator Craig Fugate

is scheduled to attend a flood conference in Devils Lake on Monday.

Grafsgaard says officials will stress that coming up with a plan

for a controlled release of Devils Lake floodwaters would be better

for downstream areas.

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