Flows in the eastern headwaters of the basin continue to rise and are now well above normal for early May. Dry weather over the past few days has provided some relief, and water levels in the upper tributaries are expected to peak over the weekend. As this large volume of water moves through the system, inflows to the major downstream lakes continue to increase.

At Lac Seul, refill is progressing rapidly, with lake levels now within the normal range. At Lake of the Woods, inflows are expected to rise gradually throughout the week. While local inflows are declining due to dry conditions, operators at Rainy Lake are making significant outflow increases to pass water arriving from the headwaters. To manage Lake of the Woods level rise, additional staggered outflow increases are required.

The current level of Lake of the Woods is 322.66 m (1058.6 ft), a 45^th percentile level, within the normal range for this time of year. The average lake level increased by 6.5 cm (2.6 in) over the past week and is expected to increase by 4 to 5 cm (1.5 to 2 in) over the next week. Lake of the Woods authorized outflow will increase to:

• 325 m³/s on Friday, May 8^th
• 375 m³/s on Sunday, May 10^th
• 425 m³/s on Tuesday, May 12^th

Each of these flow increases will cause the level of the Winnipeg River to increase, with a total level rise of approximately 33 cm (13 in) directly downstream of the Norman Dam and 15 cm (6 in) above the Dalles. The level at Minaki will not be affected by this flow change.

The current level of Lac Seul is 355.03 m (1164.8 ft), a 50^th percentile level, within the normal range for this time of year. The lake level increased 25 cm (10 in) over the last week and is expected to increase by 18 to 22 cm (7 to 8.5 in) over the next week. Lac Seul authorized outflow is 175 m³/s. An update on the next outflow increase will be provided early next week.

The spring freshet is in full swing across the Winnipeg River basin. Areas to the east, which saw exceptionally high rainfall at the end of April, continue to see rising flows in tributary rivers and inflows to major lakes.

In the Lac Seul sub-basin, flows have risen sharply to high seasonal levels in the east of the basin, including into Lake St. Joseph and in the natural tributaries to Lac Seul east of Sioux Lookout (Sturgeon River, English River). Lac Seul level is projected to rise above the minimum fisheries target for May 15 with this strong freshet response.

Lac Seul authorized outflow will be increased from 100 to 175 m³/s on Tuesday, May 5.

In the Lake of the Woods sub-basin, rainfall at the end of April was heaviest in the eastern headwater regions in Minnesota and Ontario. Flows measured in the major tributaries from these headwaters (Namakan River at the outlet of Lac la Croix and Seine River, respectively), are exceptionally high for early May. Flows in Turtle River in Ontario, another important tributary draining the north of the Rainy basin into Rainy Lake is moderately high. Dam operators at Namakan Lake and Rainy Lake are increasing outflows as this water makes it way through the system, which will result in rising inflows to Lake of the Woods over the next week.

In keeping with the LWCB’s adopted spring Regulation Strategy, Lake of the Woods authorized outflow will be increased from 225 to 275 m³/s on Tuesday, May 5 and from 275 m³/s to 325 m³/s on Friday, May 8. The Winnipeg River level below Norman Dam is expected to rise by 10 cm (4 inches) following each of these outflow increases. The Winnipeg River level at Minaki will not be affected by these flow changes.

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.

Stable conditions are expected over the weekend and into next week, with a chance for scattered flurries across the basin.

The current level of the 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 increase by up to 2 cm (0.5 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 354.67 m (1163.6 ft), a 20^th percentile level, below the normal range for this time of year. The lake level decreased 3.5 cm (1.4 in) over the last week and is expected to decrease by 1 to 3 cm (0.4 to 1 in) over the next week. Lac Seul authorized outflow is 215 m³/s, with no changes scheduled at this time.

A precipitation system will cross the Winnipeg River basin tomorrow and Saturday, bringing additional snowfall to the northern portions around Lac Seul and Lake St. Joseph, and mixed precipitation further south around Lake of the Woods.

The current level of the Lake of the Woods is 322.41 m (1057.8 ft), a 30^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 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 354.71 m (1163.7 ft), a 20^th percentile level, below the normal range for this time of year. The lake level decreased 7 cm (2.8 in) over the last week and is expected to decrease by up to 3 cm (1 in) over the next week. Lac Seul authorized outflow is 215 m³/s, with no changes scheduled at this time.