DEVILS LAKE, NORTH DAKOTA. 
A STUDY OF PHYSICAL AND BIOLOGICAL CONDITIONS, WITH A VIEW 
TO THE ACCLIMATIZATION OF FISH. 
By THomAS E. B. Popr, 
Assistant, Bureau of Fisheries. 
Since the sudden disappearance of pickerel from Devils Lake about 
1889 no species of food or-game fish has been found in its waters. 
This has been the subject of much concern to residents of that locality, 
and in response to repeated inquiries as to its cause and urgent re- 
quests that the lake be stocked with fish, the Bureau of Fisheries 
instituted investigations into the conditions now obtaining in that 
locality. These investigations, embracing a period of seven weeks, 
from July 20 to September 10, 1907, form the basis of the following 
report.¢ 
; DESCRIPTION. 
Devils Lake is an irregular sheet of water 30 miles long, lying in 
Ramsey and Benson counties. Along its entire south shore is an 
unbroken ridge of prominent and typical morainal hills rising in 
strong contrast to the level farm land bordering its northern extent. 
Prior to 1889 the Mauvaise Coulée at its northwestern end maintained 
connection with Lake Irvine and thence through small creeks with 
Dry and Sweetwater lakes, directly north of Devils Lake, the whole 
forming a U-shaped system. At present there is neither inlet nor 
outlet, Mauvaise Coulée being reduced to a dry creek bed, except 
during the spring freshets and periods of unusual rainfall. 
By reason of the rapid lowering of its level and the consequent 
radical changes in configuration during the past twenty-five years, 
Devils Lake has been broken up into detached portions or large areas 
narrowly connected. The most important section from an economic 
“'The investigating party consisted of the writer, Mr. E. L. Goldsborough, and 
Mr. W. F. Hill, all from the Bureau of Fisheries. Residents of the locality 
rendered valuable assistance and numberless courtesies throughout the work. 
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