THE NEXT ICE AGE - NOW!

25 Apr 11 - Devils Lake, North Dakota is a "a slow-growing monster: a huge lake that has steadily expanded over the last 20 years, swallowing up thousands of acres, hundreds of buildings and at least two towns in its rising waters," says journalist Dave Kolpack.

The water level of Devil's Lake has risen about 25 feet since 1993 and is still rising, continuing a trend that I first reported in 2009.

Hasn't happened since Christ was born
Lake levels now stand  near 1448 feet, said journalist Jesse Ferrell. "The lake recently started overflowing into neighboring Stump Lake, and there is a slight chance that it may eventually spill into a nearby river, something that hasn't happened since Christ was born."  (See "Devils Lake ND May Exceed 2,000-Year Levels.")

These are near-record levels, warned accuweather.com.

That was in 2009. One year later, on May 5, 2010, accuweather.com reported that Devils Lake had reached a depth of 1451.77 feet, surpassing record levels.

Fast forward to today, and it's even deeper. According to Louise Oleson, editor of the Devils Lake Journal, "Devils Lake continues to rise to record levels.

Devils Lake stood at 1,453.28 feet as of this morning, said Oleson. "The road heading to the Norway Lutheran Church graveyard north of Highway 19 at the Grahams Island Road was impassable and guarded by a flock of geese on Saturday."

"A subdivision north of Fargo has become an island retreat for a third straight spring," said a different article today in Devils Lake Journal. "Overland flooding from the Sheyenne River has cut off access by roads from the north, south and west."

So let me ask the question that I asked last year, even before Devil's Lake had reached these new levels.

Is Glacial Lake Agassiz recharging itself? 

Reaching its greatest extent around 13,000 years ago, Lake Agassiz was an immense glacial lake larger than all five Great Lakes combined, and held more water than is contained by all lakes in the world today.

What does Devils Lake have to do with Glacial Lake Agassiz?

Devil's Lake is part of what used to be the south west side of Lake Agassiz, says reader Andrea Jade.

It's certainly beginning to look as if Glacial Lake Agassiz could indeed be recharging itself.

Perhaps we should start praying for global warming.

See:
http://www.devilslakejournal.com/features/x1274369434/Devils-Lake-flood-watch-April-25-2011

See excellent interactive map of Devils Lake, ND
http://hosted.ap.org/specials/interactives/_national/monster_lake/
Thanks to a reader who wishes to remain anonymous for these links