Comprehensive Watershed Management Plan

A comprehensive water resources management plan of the Lake Pelican Water Project District (LPWPD) will total around $324,000. Once this study has been completed, the Lake Pelican Water Project District and Barr Engineering will know just how much water can be slowed down and for what period of time each of the eight sub-sheds will be able to hold back the water. Our small dam study, a.k.a. the comprehensive water resources management plan, was39%complete,at a cost of $100,000. The completed portion of the study shows the flow of the Upper Sioux Basin could be scaled down to 50% of the nominal flow. The Indian River basin could be cut down by 85%. These obtainable figures make flood control both simple and practical. The LPYVTD members continued to gather data for Barr Engineering’s analysis. The Comprehensive Water Resources Management Plan will be completed by years’ end 2002.

In 1993, the Army Corp of Omaha studied the area north for the proposed dam site. This was only a preliminary study and cost approximately $1.1 million. The Corp study was only valid for a 3 -year period. Plus, the spring of 1997 produced record high water levels, making the 1993 study results obsolete. If the Corp would complete a new comprehensive study, as should be required, it will obviously exceed the $324,000.