DEVILS LAKE (AP) - The North Dakota Water Commission has hired an engineering firm to come up with estimates of how much it would cost to increase the water flow in the Devils Lake outlet.

State Engineer Dale Frink says it wouldn't happen overnight. Besides the increased cost, it would require a new permit from the state Health Department.

The outlet that drains Devils Lake floodwaters into the Sheyenne River is now barred from exceeding 100 cubic feet per second. Frink said the outlet is designed to accommodate a higher flow.

"It is going to be spendy, but everything with Devils Lake so far has been very costly, so we're going to look at it," Frink told city officials. If the flow is increased, he said, it likely would not be operational before 2011.

The outlet has been running at about 50 cfs since it was started earlier this month.

Frink said state officials are looking at both short-term and long-term ways to move more water off the flooded lake.