Corps and State Ready to Work on Boat Ramps

Our sudden spring weather probably made many anglers start thinking about the fishing season But the new fishing season on Lake Sakakawea have been at the top of the agenda for some people for months already As Jim Olson reports the Corps of Engineers Game and Fish Department and others have been getting ready for spring for months Phil Brown Corps of Engineers There s quite a bit of effort that goes into it A lot of committed individuals just besides the Corps to assure there s access Jim Olson KX News Phil Brown is optimistic about lake access this year on Sakakawea Phil Brown Corps of Engineers Probably still looking at anywhere from 21 to 25 of the 35 recreation areas accessible which is real similar to last year and the year before Jim Olson KX News But even with his optimism Brown admits there is work to be done to reach that goal In the next few weeks crews from the Corps of Engineers and North Dakota Game and Fish Department will be doing what they ve had to do in many of the past springs - put in many hours of work to make the ramps usable at ever-lower levels Phil Brown Corps of Engineers Over the next month or so you ll start hearing or seeing a lot of work out there to make the areas accessible Jim Olson KX News Brown says the work that starts soon is the result of months of planning and cooperation among many groups Phil Brown Corps of Engineers Not only the Corps and Game amp amp Fish but we ve brought in a representative from Friends of Lake Sakakawea to kind of help us The planning has been going on through the winter of course planning is still playing out Jim Olson KX News While he s optimistic that the lake level will be a bit higher than earlier Corps forecasts he allows that if the water follows more pessimistic projections some places will lost their access Phil Brown Corps of Engineers Potentially there could be one or two areas where we re just out of options Jim Olson KX News But he likes the trends of the past month when the lake has risen about a foot-and-a-half from projections made only a few weeks ago Phil Brown Corps of Engineers Everybody wants the same thing and that is to ensure the lake is accessible as it can be and everybody is working together the best we can to balance all the rules and policies to get there In Riverdale Jim Olson KX News The Corps is authorized to spend 250-thousand dollars on its ramps this spring The Game and Fish Department has requested 800-thousand dollars from the state legislature to spend on ramp work this year - but the bill has not been voted on yet You can find out about lace access by going online to kxnet com boatramps

Corps and State Ready to Work on Boat Ramps

Our sudden spring weather probably made many anglers start thinking about the fishing season But the new fishing season on Lake Sakakawea have been at the top of the agenda for some people for months already As Jim Olson reports the Corps of Engineers Game and Fish Department and others have been getting ready for spring for months Phil Brown Corps of Engineers There s quite a bit of effort that goes into it A lot of committed individuals just besides the Corps to assure there s access Jim Olson KX News Phil Brown is optimistic about lake access this year on Sakakawea Phil Brown Corps of Engineers Probably still looking at anywhere from 21 to 25 of the 35 recreation areas accessible which is real similar to last year and the year before Jim Olson KX News But even with his optimism Brown admits there is work to be done to reach that goal In the next few weeks crews from the Corps of Engineers and North Dakota Game and Fish Department will be doing what they ve had to do in many of the past springs - put in many hours of work to make the ramps usable at ever-lower levels Phil Brown Corps of Engineers Over the next month or so you ll start hearing or seeing a lot of work out there to make the areas accessible Jim Olson KX News Brown says the work that starts soon is the result of months of planning and cooperation among many groups Phil Brown Corps of Engineers Not only the Corps and Game amp amp Fish but we ve brought in a representative from Friends of Lake Sakakawea to kind of help us The planning has been going on through the winter of course planning is still playing out Jim Olson KX News While he s optimistic that the lake level will be a bit higher than earlier Corps forecasts he allows that if the water follows more pessimistic projections some places will lost their access Phil Brown Corps of Engineers Potentially there could be one or two areas where we re just out of options Jim Olson KX News But he likes the trends of the past month when the lake has risen about a foot-and-a-half from projections made only a few weeks ago Phil Brown Corps of Engineers Everybody wants the same thing and that is to ensure the lake is accessible as it can be and everybody is working together the best we can to balance all the rules and policies to get there In Riverdale Jim Olson KX News The Corps is authorized to spend 250-thousand dollars on its ramps this spring The Game and Fish Department has requested 800-thousand dollars from the state legislature to spend on ramp work this year - but the bill has not been voted on yet You can find out about lace access by going online to kxnet com boatramps

Egyptian Days at MAFB

Why were all the dead bodies lying around in the halls of Dakota Elementary They were part of a lesson on ancient Egypt The kids have been studying Egypt for the past several weeks Teachers Kim Amick Linda Garcia and Tina DeGree have been using the theme to tie their classes together They ve been able to use the theme in everything from social studies to science One of the most eye opening lessons involved mummifying a chicken wing Travis Mann Dakota 6th grade Did it stink Yeah big time It smelled like if you killed a raccoon and you stuffed it in your garbage can for a week Literally that s what it smelled like It was vile Tina DeGree Dakota Elementary Between the hands and learning how to put together a papyrus boat or creating a canonic jar or putting together a keynote presentation on technology so we found different ways to reach them all So did it preserve it quite well Travis Yeah it did big time I mean it not fresh to eat of course but it was good It worked great The sixth grade students shared their lessons with other students in the school

Egyptian Days at MAFB

Why were all the dead bodies lying around in the halls of Dakota Elementary They were part of a lesson on ancient Egypt The kids have been studying Egypt for the past several weeks Teachers Kim Amick Linda Garcia and Tina DeGree have been using the theme to tie their classes together They ve been able to use the theme in everything from social studies to science One of the most eye opening lessons involved mummifying a chicken wing Travis Mann Dakota 6th grade Did it stink Yeah big time It smelled like if you killed a raccoon and you stuffed it in your garbage can for a week Literally that s what it smelled like It was vile Tina DeGree Dakota Elementary Between the hands and learning how to put together a papyrus boat or creating a canonic jar or putting together a keynote presentation on technology so we found different ways to reach them all So did it preserve it quite well Travis Yeah it did big time I mean it not fresh to eat of course but it was good It worked great The sixth grade students shared their lessons with other students in the school

Water Levels Better Than Expected

The level of Lake Sakakawea in North Dakota is higher than predicted just a few weeks ago An official with the Corps of Engineers says he s encouraged by the rise during the month of March and hopes predictions for a snow and rain storm across Montana and the Dakotas might help further The Corps estimates future levels of the lake on the first of each month and on March first that projection called for Lake Sakakawea to be at a level of 1807 2 feet by now - almost a foot-and-a-half lower than where the lake stands now The prediction was based in part on a mountain runoff into the Missouri River of only 85-percent of normal But Phil Brown of the Corps Riverdale office says he hopes the current higher-than-expected level is the start of a trend for the lake this summer Phil Brown Corps of Engineers Maybe I m a little optimistic but since we still have a bit of winter left where we can get some snowfall and some good rain events that the 85 of normal will go up and maybe we ll start approaching close to normal with just a few good snow or rain events And then that would and should in myu opinion push us closer to last year s pool elevation Last year s top pool elevation was 1817 4 feet and Brown is hopeful that this summer the lake can get within a few feet of that The March first projection from the Corps predicted a top level of 1811 1 feet or more than six feet lower than last year Brown says the Corps has spent the last several months working with the North Dakota Game and Fish Department Friends of Lake Sakakawea and other groups concerned about access to the lake working out plans for keeping as many boat ramps as possible open this summer We ll report on those plans tomorrow on KX News

Water Levels Better Than Expected

The level of Lake Sakakawea in North Dakota is higher than predicted just a few weeks ago An official with the Corps of Engineers says he s encouraged by the rise during the month of March and hopes predictions for a snow and rain storm across Montana and the Dakotas might help further The Corps estimates future levels of the lake on the first of each month and on March first that projection called for Lake Sakakawea to be at a level of 1807 2 feet by now - almost a foot-and-a-half lower than where the lake stands now The prediction was based in part on a mountain runoff into the Missouri River of only 85-percent of normal But Phil Brown of the Corps Riverdale office says he hopes the current higher-than-expected level is the start of a trend for the lake this summer Phil Brown Corps of Engineers Maybe I m a little optimistic but since we still have a bit of winter left where we can get some snowfall and some good rain events that the 85 of normal will go up and maybe we ll start approaching close to normal with just a few good snow or rain events And then that would and should in myu opinion push us closer to last year s pool elevation Last year s top pool elevation was 1817 4 feet and Brown is hopeful that this summer the lake can get within a few feet of that The March first projection from the Corps predicted a top level of 1811 1 feet or more than six feet lower than last year Brown says the Corps has spent the last several months working with the North Dakota Game and Fish Department Friends of Lake Sakakawea and other groups concerned about access to the lake working out plans for keeping as many boat ramps as possible open this summer We ll report on those plans tomorrow on KX News

Red River causes problems out east

The Red River is causing problems in eastern North Dakota About 33-hundred people were without power in Fargo North Dakota this morning And according to the local power company debris or ice from the Red River is to blame Officials with Xcel Energy said the warmer temperatures melting snow and ice forced some ice and debris to break loose and sheer some power poles But crews will be working to restore power to all customers as soon as possible Lund There are cases like this where our crew members have to go out in boats and make repairs Right now the conditions are not real safe to be doing that so I m not sure when we ll make permanent repairs but it likely will be by boat

Red River causes problems out east

The Red River is causing problems in eastern North Dakota About 33-hundred people were without power in Fargo North Dakota this morning And according to the local power company debris or ice from the Red River is to blame Officials with Xcel Energy said the warmer temperatures melting snow and ice forced some ice and debris to break loose and sheer some power poles But crews will be working to restore power to all customers as soon as possible Lund There are cases like this where our crew members have to go out in boats and make repairs Right now the conditions are not real safe to be doing that so I m not sure when we ll make permanent repairs but it likely will be by boat

New lake laws

Teenagers now need a permit to drive a boat

New lake laws

Teenagers now need a permit to drive a boat

Raw Whale Attacks Japanese Fishing Boat

A large sperm whale attacked a fishing boat at Uwajima bay central Japan Tuesday leaving one man injured March 13

Raw Whale Attacks Japanese Fishing Boat

A large sperm whale attacked a fishing boat at Uwajima bay central Japan Tuesday leaving one man injured March 13