The Lake “Mníwakháŋ”

The Lake “Mníwakháŋ”. . , Devils Lake , The question is often asked where did the name "Devils Lake" come from? Long before European settlers came to this area, local Native Americans fondly referred to the lake as "Mníwakháŋ," meaning water with energy, or "Spirit Lake." European settlers then incorrectly interpreted the word wakháŋ, (or spirit) to mean Devil. , The Basin , The Devils Lake Basin is a 3,810 square mile sub-basin of the Red River of the North. At water levels below 1458 feet above mean sea level (msl), the lake has no natural outlet , likening it to a wash basin with no drain. Historically, water enters the lake through direct precipitation and run-off, and leaves the lake through evaporation. , Changing Lake Levels , Since glaciation, Devils Lake has been fluctuating from overflowing to completely dry. This variability is the normal condition of the lake , reflecting longer-term climate patterns. , In 1867, Devils Lake was near an elevation of 1438 feet msl. Due to dry conditions, the lake steadily declined, reaching a low of 1400.9 feet msl in 1940. At that elevation, the lake covered less than 9,000 acres. The lake steadily rose from 1940 to 1993, reaching an elevation of 1422.6 in 1993 and covered approximately 44,000 acres. A wet cycle beginning in 1993 filled the lake nearly 32 feet to an elevation of 1454.3 feet msl in 2011. During this period, the lake more than quadrupled in size, and covered over 205,000 acres. At its spill elevation, Devils Lake would cover more than 261,000 acres.