April 2026

2026.04.30 Level Forecast

Above‑normal precipitation concentrated on the eastern side of the Winnipeg River Basin occurred over the past seven days. Tributary flows and lake inflows in the Upper English River and the headwaters of the Rainy-Namakan basins have increased in response to this precipitation. Lac Seul refill has begun, and the level is rising rapidly with snowmelt. For Lake of the Woods, inflows have remained relatively stable, and the lake level continues to rise. Current forecasts indicate dry conditions over the coming week; however, Lake of the Woods inflows could rise as upstream basins respond to the recent precipitation. Basin conditions will be closely monitored to assess whether outflow adjustments may be necessary if higher‑than‑anticipated precipitation develops.

The current level of Lake of the Woods is 322.59 m (1058.4 ft), a 40^th percentile level, within the normal range for this time of year. The average lake level increased by 5.5 cm (2.2 in) over the past week and is expected to increase by 5 to 6.5 cm (2 to 2.6 in) over the next week. Lake of the Woods authorized outflow is 225 m³/s, with no changes scheduled at this time.

The current level of Lac Seul is 354.78 m (1164.0 ft), a 25^th percentile level, within the normal range for this time of year. The lake level increased 17 cm (6.7 in) over the last week and is expected to increase by 23 to 26 cm (9 to 10.2 in) over the next week. Lac Seul authorized outflow is 100 m³/s, with no changes scheduled.

Although the level of Lac Seul has started rising with the rain and melting snow over the weekend, forecasts indicate a return to dry conditions over the next week. Therefore, in order to capture as much of the spring inflow as possible, Lac Seul outflow will be reduced to 100 m³/s on Tuesday, April 28^th. This will allow the lake to continue refilling should dry conditions persist into May.

With warm temperatures across the Winnipeg River basin and rainfall forecast for tomorrow, river flows and lake inflows are expected to increase. At Lac Seul, this will mark the beginning of the refill period, with lake levels rising rapidly as the snowpack melts. At Lake of the Woods, small, incremental increases to outflow will begin tomorrow and are likely to continue into next week, as upstream basin inflows are expected to increase. The lake level has been rising steadily, and with ice cover still in place, outflow adjustments are necessary to slow the rise and reduce the risk of damage to docks fixed in the ice.

The current level of Lake of the Woods is 322.54 m (1058.2 ft), a 40^th percentile level, within the normal range for this time of year. The average lake level increased by 5 cm (2 in) over the past week and is expected to increase by 6 to 10 cm (2.4 to 4 in) over the next week. Lake of the Woods authorized outflow will increase to 225 m³/s on Friday, April 24^th. Additional small outflow increases may be required next week.

This flow increase will cause the level of the Winnipeg River to increase by approximately 4.5 cm (1.8 in) directly downstream of the Norman Dam and by 1.5 cm (0.6 in) above the Dalles. The level at Minaki will not be affected by this flow change.

The current level of Lac Seul is 354.61 m (1163.4 ft), a 15^th percentile level, below the normal range for this time of year. The lake level remained stable over the last week and is expected to increase by 18 to 27 cm (7 to 10 in) over the next week. Lac Seul authorized outflow is 150 m³/s, with no changes scheduled.

A low pressure system will impact the northern areas of the Winnipeg River basin this evening and into tomorrow. Freezing rain and snowfall are expected along the English River, around Lac Seul and up to Lake St. Joseph. With tributary flows showing minimal response to rainfall earlier this week, Lac Seul outflow is being reduced once more to ensure rising levels.

In the southern areas of the basin freshet is progressing. Inflow to Lake of the Woods increased over the last week and lake levels have started rising. Visit the USGS HIVIS (Hydrologic Imagery Visualization and Information System) for the Big Fork River at Big Falls, Minnesota to see how conditions have evolved over the last month in a time laps video at the gauge. For updates and images of ice conditions on Lake of the Woods, the Lake of the Woods Ice Patrol has started posting regular updates.

The current level of Lake of the Woods is 322.49 m (1058.0 ft), a 35^th percentile level, within the normal range for this time of year. The average lake level increased by 5 cm (2 in) over the past week and is expected to increase by 6 to 8 cm (2.4 to 3 in) over the next week. Lake of the Woods authorized outflow is 200 m³/s, with no changes scheduled at this time.

The current level of Lac Seul is 354.60 m (1163.4 ft), a 15^th percentile level, below the normal range for this time of year. The lake level remained stable over the last week and is expected to increase by 3 to 6 cm (1 to 2.4 in) over the next week. Lac Seul authorized outflow will be reduced to 150 m³/s on Thursday, April 16^th.

The basin received above-normal precipitation over the past week, including significant snowfall across the northern and eastern areas. The English River basin, in particular, has experienced above-normal snowfall since early March. Forecasts indicate a transition to warmer temperatures and rainfall in the southern portions of the basin early next week. These conditions are expected to increase inflows to Lake of the Woods and mark the start of the refill period. Conditions at Lac Seul continue to be closely monitored, as winter conditions persist in that area.

The current level of Lake of the Woods is 322.44 m (1057.9 ft), a 35^th percentile level, within the normal range for this time of year. The average lake level increased by 1.5 cm (0.5 in) over the past week and is expected to increase by 3 to 7 cm (1 to 2.5 in) over the next week. Lake of the Woods authorized outflow is 200 m³/s, with no changes scheduled at this time.

The current level of Lac Seul is 354.61 m (1163.4 ft), a 15^th percentile level, below the normal range for this time of year. The lake level decrease by 2 cm (0.75 in) over the last week and is expected to remain stable or decrease by up to 2 cm (0.75 in) over the next week. Lac Seul authorized outflow is 175 m³/s, with no changes scheduled at this time.

Snow is forecast for the southern portions of the basin over the weekend, followed by colder temperatures early next week. As a result, inflow to the major lakes remains stable. Minor outflow adjustments are being made to maintain stable lake levels until the spring refill period begins.

The current level of Lake of the Woods is 322.42 m (1057.8 ft), a 40^th percentile level, within the normal range for this time of year. The average lake level remained stable over the past week and is expected to remain stable or increase by up to 3 cm (1 in) over the next week. Lake of the Woods authorized outflow is 200 m³/s, with no changes scheduled at this time.

The current level of Lac Seul is 354.63 m (1163.5 ft), a 20^th percentile level, below the normal range for this time of year. The lake level decreased 4.2 cm (1.7 in) over the last week and is expected to remain stable or decrease by up to 2.5 cm (1 in) over the next week. Lac Seul authorized outflow was reduced to 175 m³/s on Thursday, April 2^nd.

The LWCB Basin Data page will not be updated on Friday, April 3^rd (Good Friday, holiday in Canada) or on Monday, April 6^th (Easter Monday). Daily data updates will resume on Tuesday, April 7^th.