DEVILS LAKE (AP) - The Devils Lake outlet is moving water again after repairs to a vandalized valve. The likelihood that it will have to be shut down again increases as the summer wears on, though not because of equipment problems, a state water official says.

The outlet was restarted Tuesday, after almost two weeks of repairs to fix a crack in its intake structure and the vandalism to the valve, Assistant State Engineer Todd Sando said Wednesday.

A state Health Department permit that governs the operation of the floodwater diversion project puts limits on how much the outlet can increase the sulfate level in the Sheyenne River.

Sulfates are minerals that occur naturally in soils and groundwater. High sulfate levels can give water a bitter taste and act as a laxative for people who drink it.

Sando said weather conditions in later summer, while boosting evaporation off the lake, also might lead to higher sulfate levels in the Sheyenne.

"The stream flows deteriorate and water quality kind of follows the same trend as the summer moves along," he said. "It gets hotter and gets less precipitation … so our expectations aren't that great for later in the summer."