In preparation for freeze-up, outflows from Lake of the Woods and Lac Seul will be increased next week. These will likely be the final major adjustments before winter, with only minor changes expected in the coming months based on weather conditions.
The Winnipeg River basin remains dry, and flows on the English and Winnipeg Rivers are expected to stay near the lower end of the normal range this winter. Over the coming months, the LWCB will monitor snowpack development and will adjust end-of-winter level targets if needed.
The current level of Lake of the Woods is 322.74 m (1058.8 ft) a 35th percentile level, within the normal range for this time of year. The average lake level decreased by 1 cm (0.5 in) over the past week and is expected to decrease by 1 to 3 cm (0.5 to 2 in) over the next week. Lake of the Woods authorized outflow will increase to 275 m3/s on Monday, November 24th.
Notice: On Monday, November 24th, the Norman Generating Station will be temporarily shut down for a critical repair. This outage is expected to be short and flow through the Kenora Powerhouse will be maximized during the outage to minimize water level fluctuations downstream on the Winnipeg River.
With the outage and outflow increase occurring on the same day, temporary water level fluctuations directly below the dams are expected. In addition, the Lake of the Woods outflow increase will cause levels along the Winnipeg River to rise by 5 cm (2 in) below the Norman Dam, by 2.5 cm (1 in) above Kimberley Rapids and by 2 cm (0.8 in) at the Dalles. This outflow increase will have no impact on levels at Minaki.
The current level of Lac Seul is 356.17 m (1168.5 ft), a 40th percentile level, within the normal range for this time of year. The lake level decreased by 2 cm (0.8 in) over the last week and is expected to decrease by 5 to 8 cm (2 to 3 in) over the next week. Lac Seul authorized outflow will increase to 300 m3/s on Monday November 24th and to 325 m3/s on Thursday, November 27th.