MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - The Mississippi River could turn out to be the salvation of White Bear Lake, which has lost about one-fourth of its volume over the past decade.

A report says officials are considering a plan that would divert volume from the Mississippi into White Bear Lake. At issue is how much it would cost, and who would pay.

The state Legislature has provided $2.5 million to help study options.

An initial study will focus on the option of piping water from the Mississippi into St. Paul's regional water system.

Officials say the engineering is feasible, but it's not clear how much it would cost. One issue involves screening out invasive species in the river.

An environmental group says the solution should address the causes of water shortages, not the symptoms.

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