THE HISTORY OF THE RED RIVER The prehistoric heritage of the Red River is responsible for the north flowing river. Centuries ago a huge glacier moved south as it grew in size. As the size of the glacier advanced and receded over the centuries, it scraped the land flat. As the glacier retreated northwards a giant glacial lake was created. What is now the Red River Valley was 200 feet below the surface of Lake Agassiz, the largest glacial lake in America. Eventually the glacial ice receded far enough north to allow the trapped water of Lake Agassiz to drain to the north through what is now Hudson Bay. Lake Winnipeg, Lake Manitoba, and Lake of the Woods are remanents of this ancient lake.

Stories of the Red River Valley

The Winnipeg Free Press's Bill Redokop takes you on the road, discovering that geography in the province of Manitoba has a bit of everything. (More from The Winnipeg Free Press)

The immensity of the 1997 Red River Valley flood was beyond comprehension. Learn what the conditions were that created the event now known as the Flood of the Century.

The Minneapolis Federal Reserve Bank's bi-monthly newspaper, the fedgazette, has published a six-part series taking a closer look at the public's investment in flood control. The stories don't represent the formal position of the Federal Reserve, but they do suggest that the bank's directors think the public investment in flood control is a subject that warrants a closer look. (more from the fedgazette)

Alexander Henry's Legacy - tells of the early European settlment of Pembina. From North Dakota Magazine.

Bonanza Farms: Prairie Giants of the Northern Plains

Clean Clear Water - the history of water use and treatment in the city of Fargo.

February, 2002 – A U.S. Army Corps of Engineers draft Environmental impact study says there's a three-in four chance Devils Lake will not rise high enough to make a 97-million dollar outlet worth the cost. The corps says the outlet could be an insurance policy against future flood damage by the swollen Devils Lake. The corps says its outlet would be worth the cost if the lake reached 1454 feet. However, the corps is not advocating for or against an outlet to ease flooding by moving water into the Sheyenne River, and eventually into the Red River.
The Draft Integrated Planning Report/Environmental Impact Statement for the Devils Lake, North Dakota, Study identifies alternatives to address flooding problems associated with the rising levels of Devils Lake in North Dakota and the relevant consequences of implementing various alternatives. A public review and comment period ends in mid-April, 2002.
(Read Report)
for more information: http://www.mvp.usace.army.mil/project_info/dev_lake/

Garrison Diversion Project
In 1944, Congress authorized the Flood Control Act, later named the Pick-Sloan Missouri Basin Program (PSMBP). The primary purpose of the PSMBP was for flood control, navigation, irrigation, and hydropower, which would be facilitated by the construction of the main stem dams on the Missouri River. The Garrison Diversion Project was developed from that program.
Today, Garrison Diversion has taken the project one step further. The Dakota Water Resources Act calls for $200 million of federal appropriations to provide reliable, high-quality water to areas in eastern North Dakota.
The study, which began in 2000 with a Memorandum of Understanding signed among the North Dakota State Water Commission, the Garrison Diversion Conservancy District and the USBR, will look at possible alternatives to meet the Red River Valley's need for water.
Also included in the Dakota Water Resources Act are appropriations for a $200 million increase in the Municipal, Industrial and Rural fund, and $200 million to meet the Native American Indian water needs. All of the future Garrison Diversion facilities and programs would meet the requirements from previous legislation and would deliver and meet the demands and needs of the state for a high-quality, reliable source of water.
Learn more about the water policies of the neighboring states of Minnesota and Missouri and the province of Manitoba relating to Garrison and a Devils Lake outlet.

Manitoba Trans boundary Policy Water resources within the Manitoba portion of the Hudson Bay drainage basin are extremely valuable. More than one million Manitobans live in the basin, with approximately 100,000 relying directly on the Red River, Souris River, and Assiniboine River as sources of drinking water. The Boundary Waters Treaty of 1909 between Canada and the United States stipulates that: "waters flowing across the boundary shall not be polluted on either side to the injury of health or property on the other side." The Treaty established the International Joint Commission to assist governments in finding solutions to water problems and to try to prevent or resolve disputes. (More on the Manitoba Transboundary Waters Policy)