Devils Lake Access Committee receives Water Stewardship Award

On Thursday, Dec. 5, the Devils Lake Basin Joint Water Resource Board presented their 2019 Water Stewardship Award to a very deserving group during the 56th Annual Joint North Dakota Water Convention and Irrigation Workshop’s Awards Banquet in Bismarck.

The award was presented to the Devils Lake Access Committee. The Committee was nominated by Vice-President of the Lake Region Anglers Association Jay Hagen.  

The Committee is made up of representatives from the Devils Lake Park Board, City of Devils Lake, Ramsey County Commission, and Devils Lake Tourism. The Committee also partners with the North Dakota Game and Fish as well as several area groups and individuals who are committed to maintaining public access to Devils Lake.

Since 1990, with extreme fluctuating water levels, the Committee has partnered with the North Dakota Game and Fish Department to help develop and maintain public boat landings, fish cleaning stations and assist with clearing snow to help with public access for ice fishing. Recently they established the first year-round, indoor, free, public fish cleaning station. The Committee was also very instrumental and a driving force in helping secure the three ADA compliant, wheelchair accessible shore fishing piers around Devils Lake.

The Devils Lake Basin Water Stewardship Award was established following the 2002 completion of the Devils Lake Basin Water Management Plan and is presented to an individual, group or an organization that has contributed to assisting the implementation of the Joint Board’s mission statement of “Development of a comprehensive, coordinated water management plan for the Devils Lake Basin that will protect the economic and biological values of the Devils Lake Basin while providing optimum benefits for agriculture, wildlife and fisheries, recreation and economic development for its citizens.”