KENORA– It is safe to say the Northwest region has had a soggy spring. Over the past week, the average lake level rose by 3 cm (1 in) with little signs of receding.
According to the Lake of the Woods Control Board, the lake level has risen above the 2014 peak of 323.78 m (1062.29 ft), which is below the record peak of 324.31 m (1064.0 ft) set in July of 1950.
The dams in Kenora remain fully open leaving the Lake of the Woods with no additional ways to limit the rise of lake water.
Upstream from the Lake of the Woods, Namakan Lake and Rainy Lake peaked earlier in the month and are beginning to fall.
Due to drier weather over the last couple of weeks, the tributaries in the Rainy River basin have also been in decline resulting in Lake of the Woods inflow gradually stabilizing. If the region continues to see drier weather, the peak lake level may be reached sometime within the next week.
As the lake level stabilizes, the outflow from the lake will also stop rising.
This will result in the level of the Winnipeg River between Kenora and Minaki, as well as below Norman Dam, to remain constant and change very little over the next week.
However, the Lake of the Woods Control Board isn’t confident that a return to normal summer levels before mid-Aug. regardless of precipitation.
Lac Seul’s current level is 356.81 m (1170.6 ft), over the 95-percentile level for this time of year. Lac Seul authorized outflow was reduced to 700 m³/s on Monday, June 27.
The lake level has peaked and is expected to decline over the next week.
