The federal government is stepping forward with $935,000 to address boat ramp improvements this year on Lake Sakakawea as it continues at record low levels due to the ongoing drought.
The feds should contribute significant dollars to mitigate the damage they continue to inflict on the lake as a result of poor Missouri River Reservoir System management practices. Lake Sakakawea is expected to drop below 1,808 feet mean sea level and remain at that level through March, the Associated Press recently reported.
Lake Sakakawea was never to reach such low levels, but the Army Corps of Engineers' unresponsive approach over a number of years helped to create the existing situation. The AP reports this summer's expected high on the lake is 1,813.6 feet msl, which leaves about 75 existing boat ramps useless.
Bob Frohlich, fisheries development supervisor for the North Dakota Game and Fish Department, states the department has spent over $5 million from 2001 to 2006 on ramps and roads "chasing the water on Lake Sakakakwea..." That expense does not include costs associated with vault toilets, fish cleaning stations or courtesy docks, Frohlich added.
Even with the federal dollars, Frohlich still has a list of projects for roads, docks and fish cleaning stations that totals $650,000 in expenses.
ADVERTISEMENT
The sad story on Lake Sakakawea and throughout the entire Missouri River Reservoir System continues to be an embarrassing example of government gone amuck. Instead of developing and implementing proper management policies, we again find more of our tax dollars used to cover the ongoing mistakes of yet another federal agency. When will we learn?
