Few things have had as much effect on North Dakota as the weather.
Call it Climate Change or Mother Nature, the forces behind first the glaciation that molded and shaped this part of the high prairies at the very center of the North American Continent to the shallow sea or ocean that was left behind as the glaciers melted and receded, the area’s climate has had a lot to say about this part of the world.
Long before it was even called North Dakota, the glacial melt formed a giant, shallow ocean covering the flat lands with what was known as Lake Agassiz.
Although the region where Devils Lake is now located would have been roughly near the shores of that shallow sea. The name of this newspaper, the Devils Lake Journal, used to be “The Devils Lake Inter-Ocean” recognizing that in its establishment in the 1800s.
The Royal Saskatchewan Museum located in Regina, SK, Canada has an impressive display of some of the extinct creatures – like the Mosasaur – that called this ocean home in the Late Cretaceous Period when giant marine reptiles ruled the sea. This museum and its accompanying T-Rex Discovery Center are well worth the 360-mile-trip north and west of Devils Lake.
Historians and scientist agree this area has known great climate change and volatility for years going far back in recorded history up to the present time.
Recent history marks two major flood events in North Dakota, the Grand Forks, Red River Flood of 1997 and the Souris River Flood of 2011. Both major population centers were impacted significantly.
From a Raging Blizzard to 30 Years of Flooding: Devils Lake
Devils Lake has also experienced a different kind of flooding. That community has experienced significant flooding since 1993, inundating over 100,000 acres of farmland and prompting extensive mitigation efforts.
History & Causes
Devils Lake is a terminal lake, meaning it has no natural outlet at its current elevation, so water levels fluctuate based on precipitation and evaporation. Since 1993, the lake has risen dramatically from 1,422.6 feet to a record 1,454 feet in 2011, expanding from its original 45,000-acre size to over 160,000 acres. This rise is part of a natural wet cycle, but it has caused widespread flooding of farmland, homes and infrastructure. Historically, the lake has alternated between low and high levels, with the lowest recorded elevation at 1,401 feet in 1940.
Impacts
The flooding has devastated agriculture and property. Over 100,000 acres remain flooded, and many private landowners have lost farmland and livestock. Ranchers along the Sheyenne River, one of the lake’s only outlets, have experienced cattle losses due to eroded riverbanks and mud hazards. Roads, bridges and homes have been damaged and the city of Devils Lake has repeatedly raised levees to protect infrastructure, to the tune of an estimated $2Billion.
Mitigation Efforts
The State of North Dakota has implemented several strategies to manage flooding:
– Outlets to the Sheyene River: A west outlet was completed in 2005 and expanded in 2010 to 250 cfs, and an east outlet was added in 2012 with a capacity of 350 cfs, giving a combined capacity of 600 cfs.
– Basin water management: Programs to store water and reduce runoff in the upper basin continue through conservation initiatives.
– Infrastructure protection: Roads, bridges, and levees have been raised and homes and businesses relocated or fortified.
Despite these efforts, flooding continues to affect rural areas, farmland and private property, highlighting the ongoing challenges of managing a terminal lake in a wet climate cycle.
Current Status
As of early 2025, Devils Lake remains partially inundated, with significant areas of farmland still underwater and ongoing impacts on ranching ad agruculture. Water levels are monitored by the National Weather Service and other agencies, with forecasts and mitigstion plans updated regularly. Devils Lake flooding illustrates the complex interplay of natural hydrology, climate variability and human infrastructure, requiring continuous managment to protect communities and agricultural lands.
At one of the latest Ramsey County Commission meetings landowners aired grievances about endangered roads and ag land from Churchs Ferry to the west, north and east of Devils Lake in Ramsey County.
Devils Lake and the Lake Region has been subjected to violent weather through the years, from drought in the 1930s to flooding without end since the 1990s, tornadoes have damaged homes just outside of Devils Lake, destroying much of the city’s airport facilities and surrounding residences in the 1960s and violent straight winds [called a derecho or a microburst] damaged the facade of buildings in downtown Devils Lake, as well, that same decade.