Winnipeg River still 6 feet higher than usual

Staff with the Lake of the Woods Control Board say water levels on Lake of the Woods have finally dropped within legislated operating ranges after this spring’s high water levels and severe flooding, but levels on the Winnipeg River remain 6 feet higher than usual for this time of the year.

The LWCB says Lake of the Woods has been above its legislated operating range of 1061 feet for 119 days, but has dropped to within 1 foot of its normal summer targets. Meanwhile, the Winnipeg River near Kenora is over 6 feet above normal levels.

Staff say to try to lower levels ahead of the winter freeze-up, they will begin a series of outflow reductions to target low-normal levels by the end of October for Lake of the Woods and the Winnipeg River, unless wet conditions begin to develop.

Lake of the Woods is expected to drop by another 6” this week, with a 7” drop on the Winnipeg River below the Norman Dam, 5” above the Dalles and 4” at Minaki over the next week.