As Lake of the Woods continues to decline, a further small reduction in outflow is scheduled to help maintain a balance between conditions on the lake and the Winnipeg River. Recent rainfall over Lac Seul has helped sustain inflows, and with lake levels gradually rising, no additional outflow reductions are required at this time.
The current level of Lake of the Woods is 322.85 m (1059.2 ft), a 15th percentile level, below the normal range for this time of year. The average lake level declined by 1 cm (0.5 in) over the past week and is expected to decline by 1 to 2.5 cm (0.5 to 1 in) over the next week. Lake of the Woods authorized outflow will decrease to 200 m3/s on Friday, July 31.
This outflow reduction will cause the level of the Winnipeg River to decline by approximately 4.5 cm (1.7 in) directly downstream of the Norman Dam and 1.5 cm (0.5 in) above the Dalles. The level at Minaki will not be affected by this flow change.
The current level of Lac Seul is 356.21 m (1168.7 ft), a 30th percentile level, within the normal range for this time of year. The lake level increased by 7 cm (2.5 in) over the last week and is expected to increase by 3 to 6 cm (1 to 2.5 in) over the next week. Lac Seul authorized outflow is 150 m3/s with no changes scheduled.
The LWCB Basin Data page will not be updated on Monday, August 3 (Civic Holiday in Canada). Daily data updates and publication will resume on Tuesday, August 4.