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Devils Lake – Upper Basin Water Utilization Irrigation Test Project

Senator Dorgan secured $900,000 in federal funding, guaranteeing federal participation in the demonstration project to test the feasibility of taking excess water off Devils Lake and ensuring aid in the growing of certain specialty and standard crops in the Devils Lake region.  Ten irrigation sites covering 1,100 acres have been set up in five counties.  If successful, the test project could be expanded to a full scale Pilot Project involving an additional 4,000 acres in 2008.  An NDSU study shows a difference of $481 income per acre between traditional cropping and irrigation.  This project has the potential to be a win-win project by reducing water levels in the lake and improving the farm economy of the region.