Staff
Borderland received a record amount of snowfall this past winter but that alone will not result in flood conditions on Rainy Lake and Namakan, according to the International Rainy Lake Board of Control and the International Rainy River Water Pollution Board.
“While the potential for significant snowmelt run-off is above normal this year, the actual run-off will, as always, be very much influenced by weather conditions this spring,” the IRLBC and IRRWPB said in a joint release issued in response to public concerns over potential high water levels this spring, and in the wake of flooding along the Red River basin in Manitoba and North Dakota.
The boards noted there has been concern from the public over above-average snowfall this winter coupled with rainfall and above-normal temperatures in March, which resulted in a period of sharply increased run-off.
“A high snowpack does not guarantee a large run-off,” the boards stressed. “The initial rapid run-off has been slowed by a return to more seasonable weather.
“While run-off will pick up again, both lakes are well below their normal summer levels and have space to store excess water beyond that which can be discharged downstream,” they added.
“The snowmelt run-off would have to be augmented by significant spring and early summer rainfall in order to reach flood levels on the lakes.”
The Rainy Lake-Namakan basin is being monitored on a daily basis for water level and flow data, as well as meteorological conditions, the boards noted.
They also remain in contact with ACH LP and Boise Inc., the “two companies that own the dams and operate them in accordance with the lake level rule curves put in place by the International Joint Commission.”
The boards cautioned of the possibility for overly high water levels if there’s a significant amount of rainfall this spring and summer.
“Weather drives the system; the companies and the boards have only limited ability to moderate the outcome,” the boards’ release stressed.
“Further, operations must consider not only the lakes but downstream areas, as well.
“Consequently, the boards stress the need for property owners to be aware of the water levels that have occurred in the past,” the release added.
“Shoreline development should be planned and protected accordingly,” it warned.
In a separate e-mail, Rick Walden of the IRLBC noted is the rivers that are likely to experience high levels in the near term, rather than the lakes, if the run-off is strong.
“The conditions warrant close monitoring, which we are doing, but it is the rains (or lack thereof) later on that will determine the outcome,” he wrote.
For both waterfront property owners and users of the water system, updates on basin conditions can be found online at www.ijc.org in the section for the International Rainy Lake Board of Control.
They also can contact Walden at 1-819-997-2529 or Ed Eaton at 1-651-290-5617.
