High water concerns at Clitherall addressed

By Tom Hintgen (Contact) | The Daily Journal

Published Wednesday, May 14, 2008

Five days after being part of discussions about the best way to lower the level of Lake Olaf northwest of Pelican Rapids, county commissioners on Tuesday also addressed high water levels at Clitherall Lake.

With lake residents in attendance during the regular county board meeting held at the Government Services Center, adverse effects from Ditch 16 were again addressed. Water flows along Ditch 16 from Bonnie Beach at Clitherall Lake northward to the Highway 210 underpass and into West Battle Lake.

In recent weeks permits were issued so that lake residents could remove cattails, which many people believe is interfering with the water flow and contributing to the water level rise in Clitherall Lake.

All parties agree that an engineering study is needed. Before that, however, the county board wants to a redetermination (Ditch 16 probe) before an official engineering study can get underway. Another question, down the road, will pertain to what group will pay for any changes to Ditch 16.

“County dollars cannot be expended for ditch projects,” county Land and Resource Director Bill Kalar told commissioners. “You have unique circumstance with Ditch 16, including the proximity to the continental divide. Vegetation removal may not be the only answer to this (high water) problem.”

The channel originally was eight feet wide. In recent months, however, the channel is only from two to four feet wide in some areas downstream.

County commissioner Dennis Mosher suggested that lake property owners form a lake improvement district, something he said would be of benefit to those who live near Clitherall Lake.

In the meantime, the only direct action that can be taken by lakeshore owners is to remove the cattails after receiving approval from the county board of commissioners. At Tuesday’s meeting, lakeshore property owners requested that the county board have the engineering study split into two phases. The board denied that request.

Lakeshore property owners have documentation, including photos, of trees that have washed into Clitherall Lake. Many owners are frustrated that no concrete action has taken place over the past several months in light of high water that was at a record level in 2007. Coming to a conclusion has taken much longer than they expected.

Representing property owners at the county commission meeting Tuesday were Jeff Stabnow and Daniel Woods. Commissioners assured them that their maintenance concerns would be addressed, through the redetermination (Ditch 16 probe), as quickly as possible.