Corps’ drought plan threatens promised supply of water.
1 / 2 COLEHARBOR, N.D. — Steve Knorr is absolutely sure he’ll get 24 inches of water on his crops this year.
He has millions invested, each dollar a reason to be concerned about an emerging plan by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers that could imperil his access to canal water during an extreme drought, just when he needs it most.
The problem the corps hopes to forestall is what could happen when Lake Sakakawea drops extremely low in a drought while Lake Audubon remains at its standard operating pool.
All that pressure on one side of the embankment unanswered from the other side could lead to embankment failure, says Matt Nelson, an engineer from the corps’ water control section.
Nelson said the low water did allow the corps to observe the performance of 13 relief wells — installed at the time of construction on the Lake Sakakawea side in the 1950s precisely to relieve that unequal water pressure.
If the embankment is performing well under that severe loading, we could go to a higher number or it could go the other way," Nelson said.
"Here we are 70 years later, and we’re just learning that the relief wells don’t work.
Kip Kovar, Garrison Diversion Unit engineer, says the standard summer elevation of 1,847 feet in Lake Audubon is required to maintain flow through the canal headworks and push the water down the canal.
This way, water managers can plan.

Knorr draws that precious water from a pump station on the McClusky Canal into a network of underground pipes and 37 pivot systems that sprinkle fresh water across his nearly 4,000 acres between Coleharbor and Turtle Lake.
Because of it, he can count on twice the yield and income to pay down a $2,000-per-acre investment in addition to water and electric fees.
What’s afoot is the corps’ decision to create a first-time plan to protect the dam works’ infrastructure that separates the enormous Lake Sakakawea from its smaller sidekick, Lake Audubon, in a drought scenario.
The two waters are the same, only cleaved by the Snake Creek Embankment that holds the pumping station that sends water from the big lake to the smaller one.
The embankment is a critical causeway that carries four lanes of Highway 83 on its surface, the Canadian Pacific rail and mammoth steel towers that bear electric transmission wires across the water.
The problem the corps hopes to forestall is what could happen when Lake Sakakawea drops extremely low in a drought while Lake Audubon remains at its standard operating pool.
Back in 2005— in hindsight a year that doesn’t seem particularly remarkable for being dry — Lake Sakakawea dropped to an elevation of 1,806 feet.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the embankment, Lake Audubon clocked in at its usual 1,847-foot elevation, the level that’s maintained every summer, all summer to provide water out its rear door into the 73.6-mile McClusky Canal.
That 41-foot difference in elevation from one side to the other was the biggest swing in the lake’s history.
Nelson said the low water did allow the corps to observe the performance of 13 relief wells — installed at the time of construction on the Lake Sakakawea side in the ‘50s precisely to relieve that unequal water pressure.

Once massively rich in biodiversity as well as natural resources, the Indus Delta is losing its health, vitality, and ecology at an appalling rate, driving the farming and fishing communities out to other areas. This year, the delta is experiencing the worst water shortage ever, as besides River Indus, almost all canals and watercourses are at their lowest ebb. The communities, which depend on River Indus for fishing and agriculture, are now facing hardship in both the sectors due to water scarcity. According to the growers and fishermen of the area, the main Kalri-Baghar canal, known as KB feeder, which emerges from Kotri Barrage and has a capacity of 9,100 cusecs, is presently carrying only 1,950 cusecs of water. “Out of 1,950 cusecs, only 1,200 cusecs are being supplied to meet the demand of Karachi city via Keenjhar Lake, while the rest (750 cusecs) of the water is being released into four major tributaries to meet the irrigation and drinking demands,” they added. The canals that depend on KB feeder for water include Sakro canal, Jam canal, Odero canal and Baghan canal, which feed agriculture lands near their command area through small watercourses and tributaries. Since there is no water for irrigation, all the lands are looking deserted and dry. Gulab Shah, a landlord, who depends on Odero canal for cultivation of his family lands, said the irrigation department officials are under pressure due to unavailability of water. “They are unable to ensure equal distribution of water in irrigation canals and meet the exact demand of people,” Shah, who recently held a meeting with the irrigation department functionaries, told The News. “It is for the first time, the delta is facing such a drought-like situation as not only the river but the water courses are also drying out, leaving the communities helpless situation.” Besides cotton, vegetables, paddy, and banana, betel leaf is also major cash crop in the coastal area. Betel leaf farms provide employment to…

The inordinate delay in the completion of repair works along the damaged portion of the Pampa Irrigation Project (PIP) main canal at Vadasserikkara has badly affected the farming as well as drinking water needs of scores of families in the drought-hit areas of the Pampa river basin spread across Pathanamthitta and Alappuzha districts.
A portion of the main canal of PIP was collapsed allegedly due to lack of proper annual repair and maintenance in December, 2016, leading to closure of the canal that has been the main water source of the villagers in its downstream reaches during the scorching summer months.
27 lakh and open the canal in April first week itself still remains unfulfilled for reasons best known to the authorities concerned, say N.K.
Balan, and M.B.
Dileep, Jana Saktheekarana Gavaeshana Kendram (JSGK) office-bearers.
Meanwhile, the JSGK has moved the State Human Rights Commission alleging human rights violation by the PIP in denying water to the scarcity-hit areas.
The SHRC has served a notice to the PIP on the basis of the JSGK complaint.
The water released from the PIP barrage at Maniyar, near Chittar, in the eastern hilly tracts of Pathanamthitta has been a great solace to the hapless villagers in the water scarcity-hit downstream reaches up to Haripad in Alappuzha district, according to the JSGK leaders.
The tail race water of the Sabarigiri project collected in the PIP barrage at Maniyar is also utilised for power generation at the private mini hydro-electric projects at Maniyar and Allumkal.
Sources in the Water Resources Department attribute the disrepair of the canal to inadequate budget allocation.

U.S. lawsuit accuses Gulfstream of discharging pollutants into canal.
The horse racing track could face fines of $37,500 a day per violation – or more than $50 million — for violating the federal Clean Water Act, said the lawsuit filed Wednesday by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida.
Gulfstream Park spokesman David Joseph referred questions to the track’s attorney, Michael Fucheck.
He was out of town and could not be reached for comment.
According to the lawsuit, officials with the Environmental Protection Agency notified Gulfstream on Oct. 23, 2014 that horse wash water being discharged to a 24-acre drainage pond, and ultimately the nearby canal, was not authorized.
Gulfstream, which houses up to 1,100 horses year-round, was issued a notice of civil violation on Feb. 26, 2015.
“It does concern me,” City Commissioner Anthony Sanders said.
“It would concern anyone when you hear water pollution.” Hallandale Beach spokesman Peter Dobens was quick to point out that any pollutants that made their way into the drainage canal near the track posed no threat to the city’s drinking water.
When asked whether anyone swam or fished in the canal, he gave this answer: “I have no idea, but I would certainly hope not.” City Manager Roger Carlton also weighed in.
sbryan@sunsentinel.com, 954-356-4554 or visit our ‘Sun Sentinel: Hollywood’ page at SunSentinel.com/facebookhollywood

Drought concerns in Loxahatchee Groves causing issues with canal levels, dust.
That’s not snow covering her trees.
“That’s the dust on the road.
Gisela, who owns an art studio in Loxahatchee, says the drought and increased dust is creating a tough situation for her clients.
“We’ve considered giving them $6 so they can go to a car wash every time they come out, but they don’t want to do that either,” she says.
It’s not just the dust causing concern.
Marge Herzog has lived here since the towns incorporation, and is also president of the town’s landowner’s association.
It’s a concern – especially in a town where so many people use well water.
“When the water table goes down, some of the wells could go dry if they aren’t deep enough,” she says.
Herzog says a possible solution would be to pump more water from the C-51 canal – but it’s a slow moving process between the state’s water management district and the town’s water management district.