Water levels still rising

FORT FRANCEES—Run-off from two April snowstorms, coupled with a wet spring and even more rain in the short-term forecast, has caused water levels to rise above the rule curve on Rainy Lake.
In fact, Rainy Lake was sitting only three inches below flood stage earlier this week.
And with the gates open at the dam here, water levels on the Rainy River also are high this spring.
Still, there’s been no real concern in communities downstream of Fort Frances so far.
“At the present time it hasn’t caused any problems,” Rainy River Mayor Debbie Ewald noted Wednesday. “Our low-lying areas at the park have water creeping up, but it hasn’t affected anything like the structures or anything at the present time.”
Nor have residents there sought to obtain sandbags to protect homes in low-lying areas.
“We haven’t had to go that route yet at all,” noted Mayor Ewald. “As long as the water doesn’t keep rising and rising and rising, we’re okay.”
The biggest issue for cabin owners and resorts on Rainy Lake has been the impact of the high water levels on docks, with people having to put barrels on them to keep them down.
At La Place Rendez-Vous here, the ends of their two docks have become submerged.
“We had barrels at the end of our docks, which is doing absolutely nothing because we’ve had an east wind almost every time it’s windy, so now it’s destroying both of our docks,” noted Joelle Blanc, manager of hotel operations.
The ends of the docks are off-limits to the public for the time being.
Wind has been the biggest problem Blanc has had to contend with.
“It’s not necessarily the water because the water being high isn’t as bad as the east wind coming in and the waves destroying the dock,” she said.
Rusty Myers Flying Service Ltd. here has had to adjust where their floatplanes are being parked because of similar problems with their docks.
“One section of the dock has been under for a couple days, but the main section is being anchored down right now,” said Angie Korzinski.
Another problem that’s occurred because of the dam gates being open is that the mill’s ability to generate power has been diminished.
In Kabetogama, Mn., residents are continuing to watch lake levels rise, with some reports that docks are submerged on Lake Kabetogama.
Residents there aren’t panicking yet, but measures have been taken in the event flooding occurs.
Sandbags are on hand for residents, though the local sheriff’s office noted there’s a shortage because they’ve donated sandbags to help two other counties with flooding.
(Fort Frances Daily Bulletin)