Skip to content

2022.08.03 Level Forecast

The current level of Lake of the Woods is 323.99 m (1062.9 ft), over 95th percentile level for this time of year. The average lake level declined by 6 cm (2 in) over the past week. The lake level is above the 2014 peak of 323.78 m (1062.29 ft) and is below the record peak since regulation began of 324.31 m (1064.0 ft), set in July of 1950. The dams in Kenora remain fully open. Over the next week the lake level is expected to decline by 10 to 12 cm (4 to 5 in).

Upstream, the level of Rainy Lake entered its Rule Curves on August 3d. The first outflow reduction from Rainy Lake occurred on August 2nd and another reduction is scheduled for later this week. These flow reductions will have a direct effect on the level of Lake of the Woods, increasing its rate of decline.

With decreasing inflows to Lake of the Woods, the outflow from the lake will also gradually drop. Levels along the Winnipeg River will see moderate decreases of up to 9 cm (4 in) directly below the Norman Dam and 6 cm (2 in) at Minaki.

The current level of Lac Seul is 356.72 m (1170.3 ft), 90th percentile level for this time of year. The level of the main body of Lac Seul changed little over the past week and is expected to decline by up to 4 cm (1.5 in) over the next week depending on rainfall. Lac Seul authorized outflow is scheduled to increase to 450 m³/s on Friday, August 5th.

2022.08.01 Level Forecast

The current level of Lake of the Woods is 324.0 m (1063.0 ft), over 95th percentile level for this time of year. The average lake level declined by 6 cm (2 in) over the past week. The lake level is above the 2014 peak of 323.78 m (1062.29 ft) and is below the record peak since regulation began of 324.31 m (1064.0 ft), set in July of 1950. The dams in Kenora remain fully open. Over the next week the lake level is expected to decline by 8 to 10 cm (3 to 4 in).

Upstream, the level of Rainy Lake is expected to re-enter its Rule Curves as of August 1st. Outflow reductions from Rainy Lake are scheduled for this week and these flow reductions will have a direct effect on the level of Lake of the Woods, increasing its rate of decline.

With decreasing inflows to Lake of the Woods, the outflow from the lake will also gradually drop. Levels along the Winnipeg River will see moderate decreases of up to 9 cm (4 in) directly below the Norman Dam and 6 cm (2 in) at Minaki.

The current level of Lac Seul is 356.71 m (1170.3 ft), 90th percentile level for this time of year. The level of the main body of Lac Seul changed little over the past week and is expected to decline by up to 3 cm (1 in) over the next week depending on rainfall. Lac Seul authorized outflow is 400 m³/s with no changes scheduled.

2022.07.29 Level Forecast

The current level of Lake of the Woods is 324.03 m (1063.1 ft), over 95th percentile level for this time of year. The average lake level declined by 6 cm (2 in) over the past week. The lake level is above the 2014 peak of 323.78 m (1062.29 ft) and is below the record peak since regulation began of 324.31 m (1064.0 ft), set in July of 1950. The dams in Kenora remain fully open. Over the next week the lake level is expected to decline by 8 to 10 cm (3 to 4 in).

Upstream, the level of Rainy Lake has dropped below the All Gates Open level, allowing the closure of some dam gates earlier this week. There will be further outflow reductions from Rainy Lake next week and likely the week after, depending on rainfall over this period. These flow reductions will have a direct effect on the level of Lake of the Woods, increasing its rate of decline.

With decreasing inflows to Lake of the Woods, the outflow from the lake will also gradually drop. Levels along the Winnipeg River will see moderate decreases of up to 9 cm (4 in) directly below the Norman Dam and 6 cm (2 in) at Minaki.

The current level of Lac Seul is 356.71 m (1170.3 ft), 85th percentile level for this time of year. The level of the main body of Lac Seul changed little over the past week and could rise by up to 3 cm (1 in) or decrease by up to 3 cm (1 in) over the next week depending on rainfall. Lac Seul authorized outflow is 400 m³/s with no changes scheduled.

Manitoba Hydro has provided the following forecast for the Winnipeg River through the Whiteshell.

2022.07.28 Level Forecast

The current level of Lake of the Woods is 324.03 m (1063.1 ft), over 95th percentile level for this time of year. The average lake level declined by 6cm (2 in) over the past week. The lake level is above the 2014 peak of 323.78 m (1062.29 ft) and is below the record peak since regulation began of 324.31 m (1064.0 ft), set in July of 1950. The dams in Kenora remain fully open. Over the next week the lake level is expected to decline by 9 to 12 cm (4 to 5 in).

Upstream, the level of Rainy Lake has dropped below the All Gates Open level, allowing the closure of some dam gates earlier this week. There will be further outflow reductions from Rainy Lake next week and likely the week after, depending on rainfall over this period. These flow reductions will have a direct effect on the level of Lake of the Woods, increasing its rate of decline.

With decreasing inflows to Lake of the Woods, the outflow from the lake will also gradually drop. Levels along the Winnipeg River will see moderate decreases of up to 8 cm (3 in) directly below the Norman Dam and 6 cm (2 in) at Minaki.

The current level of Lac Seul is 356.71 m (1170.3 ft), 85th percentile level for this time of year. The level of the main body of Lac Seul changed little over the past week and is expected to remain fairly stable over the next week. Lac Seul authorized outflow is 400 m³/s with no changes scheduled.

2022.07.25 Level Forecast

The current level of Lake of the Woods is 324.07 m (1063.2 ft), over 95th percentile level for this time of year. The average lake level remained stable over the past week. The lake level is above the 2014 peak of 323.78 m (1062.29 ft) and is below the record peak since regulation began of 324.31 m (1064.0 ft), set in July of 1950. The dams in Kenora remain fully open. Over the next week, the lake level is expected to declined by 5 to 9 cm (2 to 4 in).

Upstream, the level of Rainy Lake is expected to drop below the All Gates Open level in the next couple days, allowing the closure of dam gates. There will be a first reduction in outflow from Rainy Lake on July 26th or 27th. The effect of this flow reduction on the level of Lake of the Woods, will be seen closer to the end of the week. The level of Rainy Lake will then return to the normal IJC-regulated range in the first week of August. Additional outflow reductions are planned and barring a return to very wet weather, this should result in a much faster rate of decline at Lake of the Woods and the Winnipeg River towards mid-August.

With decreasing inflows to Lake of the Woods, the outflow from the lake will also gradually drop. Levels along the Winnipeg River will see moderate decreases of up to 8 cm (3 in) directly below the Norman Dam and 6 cm (2 in) at Minaki.

The current level of Lac Seul is 356.72 m (1170.3 ft), 80th percentile level for this time of year. The level of the main body of Lac Seul changed little over the past week. The lake level is expected to remain stable over the next week. Lac Seul authorized outflow is 400 m³/s with no changes scheduled.

2022.07.22 Level Forecast

The current level of Lake of the Woods is 324.10 m (1063.3 ft), over 95th percentile level for this time of year. The average lake level increased by 1.5 cm due to the heavy rainfall on July 19th. The lake level is above the 2014 peak of 323.78 m (1062.29 ft) and is below the record peak since regulation began of 324.31 m (1064.0 ft), set in July of 1950. The dams in Kenora remain fully open. Over the next week, the lake level is expected to declined by 2 to 8 cm (1 to 3 in) with drier conditions in the forecast.

The significant rainfall of July 19th caused the level of the Winnpeg River to increase by 5 cm (2 in) directly below the Norman Dam, by 7.5 cm (3 in) at Minaki and by 13 cm (5 in) at Boundary Falls near the Manitoba border. These temporary level increases were caused by local inflows and levels are expected to decrease over the next week.

Upstream, the level of Rainy Lake is expected to return to the normal IJC-regulated range at the end of July. As the lake level declines, outflow from Rainy Lake is also falling, and much larger cuts are expected once the lake returns to normal summer levels. Barring a return to very wet weather, this should result in a much faster rate of decline at Lake of the Woods and the Winnipeg River towards the beginning of August.

The current level of Lac Seul is 356.72 m (1170.3 ft), 80th percentile level for this time of year. The level of the main body of Lac Seul changed little over the past week. With some rainfall in the forecast, the lake level is expected to remain stable over the next week with possible changes of +4 cm or – 2.5 cm (+1.5 in or – 1 in). Lac Seul authorized outflow is 400 m³/s with no changes scheduled.

Manitoba Hydro has provided the following forecast for the Winnipeg River through the Whiteshell.

2022.07.20 Level Forecast

Some parts of the basin received significant rainfall on July 19th, with widespread totals of 50 mm and as much as 100 mm falling over part of the Winnipeg River directly downstream of Kenora. These high local rainfalls will cause tributary flows and river levels to increase. These increases should be temporary with a return to drier conditions forecasted for the next week.

Total Precipitation Over the Past 24 Hours / Source: CaPA

The current level of Lake of the Woods is 324.09 m (1063.3 ft), over 95th percentile level for this time of year. The average lake level increased by 1.5 cm due to the heavy rainfall on July 19. The lake level is above the 2014 peak of 323.78 m (1062.29 ft) and is below the record peak since regulation began of 324.31 m (1064.0 ft), set in July of 1950. The dams in Kenora remain fully open. Over the next week, the lake level is expected to declined by up to 2.5 cm (1 in) with drier conditions in the forecast.

The significant rainfall of July 19 caused the level of the Winnpeg River to increase by 4 cm (1.5 in) directly below the Norman Dam, by 5.5 cm (2 in) at Minaki and by 13 cm (5 in) at Boundary Falls near the Manitoba border. These level increases were caused by local inflows. With no changes to Lake of the Woods outflow, these increased river levels are expected to be temporary.

The current level of Lac Seul is 356.71 m (1170.3 ft), 80th percentile level for this time of year. The level of the main body of Lac Seul increased by 1 cm due to the heavy rainfall on July 19. With some rain forecasted for this part of the basin tomorrow, the lake level is expected to decrease by 4 cm (1.5 in) over the next week. Lac Seul authorized outflow is 400 m³/s with no changes scheduled. Levels along the English River will be temporarily affected by the heavy rainfall of July 19th as local inflows did increase.

2022.07.18 Level Forecast

The current level of Lake of the Woods is 324.07 m (1063.2 ft), over 95th percentile level for this time of year. The average lake level declined by 2 cm (0.5 in) over the past week. The lake level is above the 2014 peak of 323.78 m (1062.29 ft) and is below the record peak since regulation began of 324.31 m (1064.0 ft), set in July of 1950. The dams in Kenora remain fully open.

With some precipitation forecasted for the next week 3 to 4 days, the level of Lake of the Woods is expected to increase slightly and then continue its decline. The lake level is expected to fall by up to 4 cm (2 in) over the next 7 days.

As the lake level increases or drops slightly, the outflow into the Winnipeg River will follow suit and small changes in river level are expected. The level of the Winnipeg River immediately below the Norman Dam and down to Minaki is expected to change by 1-3 cm (1 in) over the next 7 days. Local heavy rainfall can cause the river level to rise high than forecasted temporarily.

Upstream, the level of Rainy Lake is expected to return to the normal IJC-regulated range at the end of July. As the lake level declines, outflow from Rainy Lake is also falling, and much larger cuts are expected once the lake returns to normal summer levels. Barring a return to very wet weather, this should result in a much faster rate of decline at Lake of the Woods and the Winnipeg River towards the beginning of August.

The current level of Lac Seul is 356.70 m (1170.3 ft), 80th percentile level for this time of year. With some rain in the forecast, the level of the main body of Lac Seul is expected increase by 3 cm (1 in), but decline over the course of the week by up to 1.5 cm (0.5 in). Lac Seul authorized outflow is scheduled to be decreased from 450 m³/s to 400 m³/s on Monday, July 18. With recent cuts in outflow and declining tributary flows across the watershed, the level of the English River is expected to continue to fall but will likely not reach normal summer levels this month.

2022.07.15 Level Forecast

The current level of Lake of the Woods is 324.08 m (1063.2 ft), over 95th percentile level for this time of year. The average lake level declined by 1 cm (0.5 in) over the past week. The lake level is above the 2014 peak of 323.78 m (1062.29 ft) and is below the record peak since regulation began of 324.31 m (1064.0 ft), set in July of 1950. The dams in Kenora remain fully open.

With a mix of precipitation forecasts for the next week, the level of Lake of the Woods is expected to fall between 1 and 5 cm (1/2 and 2 in) over the next 7 days.

As the lake level slowly drops, the outflow into the Winnipeg River will gradually drop along with the river level. The level level of the Winnipeg River immediately below the Norman Dam and down to Minaki is expected fall by 1-3 cm (1 in) over the next 7 days.

Upstream, the level of Rainy Lake is expected to return to the normal IJC-regulated range in July. As the lake level declines, outflow from Rainy Lake is also falling, and much larger cuts are expected once the lake returns to normal summer levels. Barring a return to very wet weather, this should result in a much faster rate of decline at Lake of the Woods and the Winnipeg River towards the end of July.

The current level of Lac Seul is 356.72 m (1170.3 ft), 80th percentile level for this time of year. The level of the main body of Lac Seul is expected to fall by 2 to 5 cm (1 to 2 in) over the next 7 days. Lac Seul authorized outflow is scheduled to be decreased from 450 m³/s to 400 m³/s on Monday, July 18. With recent cuts in outflow and declining tributary flows across the watershed, the level of the English River is expected to continue to fall but will likely not reach normal summer levels this month.

Manitoba Hydro has provided the following forecast for the Winnipeg River through the Whiteshell.

2022.07.13 Level Forecast

The current level of Lake of the Woods is 324.09 m (1063.3 ft), over 95th percentile level for this time of year. The average lake level declined slightly, by 1 cm (0.5 in) over the past week. The lake level is above the 2014 peak of 323.78 m (1062.29 ft) and is below the record peak since regulation began of 324.31 m (1064.0 ft), set in July of 1950. The dams in Kenora remain fully open and no additional actions can be taken to speed up the lake level drop.

Lake of the Woods level reached a peak the last week of June and levels are starting to decline slowly. The rate of decline should increase over the next week with little rainfall forecasted and outflow from Rainy Lake dropping substantially. The level of Lake of the Woods is expected to decline by 4 to 6 cm (2 to 3 in) over the next week.

These decreases in lake level will start to cause outflow from the lake to fall. This will result in the level of the Winnipeg River immediately below the Norma Dam, to drop by about 3 cm (2 in) over the next week. The level between Kenora and Minaki may drop by about 1 to 2 cm (1/2 in to 1 in) over the next week.

The current level of Lac Seul is 356.72 m (1170.3 ft), 80th percentile level for this time of year. The level of the main body of Lac Seul is expected to fall by 2 to 6 cm (1 to 3 in) over the next 7 days. Lac Seul authorized outflow is scheduled to decrease to 450 m³/s on Thursday, July 14, and then to 400 m³/s on Monday, July 18.