We all must realize that Mother Nature is always in charge. We might try to mitigate the effects of winter snows and spring snowstorms and rainstorms. But this year is proving across the Rainy Lake water basin, Mother Nature is in charge. We could not anticipate the huge snowfalls that came our way. We were not prepared for the huge dumps of slushy wet snow in April. We bemoaned the late arrival of spring and the delayed snow melt. Mother Nature was creating the perfect flooding storm.
Homeowners and cottage owners are watching water levels rise across the Rainy Lake watershed. There are two benchmarks that everyone keeps referring to. The first benchmark the flood of 2014 where Rainy Lake reached a height of 338.74 meters in height. The more troubling benchmark is that of 1950 where flooding waters of Rainy Lake reached a height of 339.1 meters. We passed through the first benchmark on Saturday.
Namakan Lake that flows directly into Rainy Lake on Saturday was already 28 cm above flood levels of 2014 and the US National Weather Service predicted it would rise another 17-19 cm by May 27. The Weather Service was predicting that Rainy Lake would rise 30 cm (12 Inches) by May 27. These projections were made on May 20. That would put Rainy Lake within striking distance of the 1950 flood. Water is already flowing over the top of the dam as it did in 1950 and 2014.
Those numbers are contingent on the region not experiencing high rainfalls.
Getting to cabins on Rainy Lake is becoming more difficult for boaters. The Commissioner Bay Railroad bridge can no longer be passed under as is the case of the Windy Point railway bridge. Even the road bridge at the 7-Mile bridge can’t be passed under in a boat. In some cases, boat launch areas are flooded and if you can drive to one, there is lots of depth of water to back into. Where I keep my boat, the water on Friday was already 10 inches above the roadbed and by the coming weekend it will be too deep to safely travel across. Mother Nature is putting all that fallen shoreline debris back into the water and making lake travel more dangerous. Much of that debris of docks, trees are difficult to see.
One can already see the impact of the flooding. Rusty Myers Flying service is now positioning their two Caravan aircraft on the river. La Place Rendezvous was positioning huge sandbags on their deck. Most docks on the lake are being decorated and held down by barrels. The Town of Fort Frances has asked citizens to join in filling sandbags at the Public Works Yard. Couchiching first nation is seeking people to fill sandbags.
We all will have to help fill sandbags to protect front street from flooding. Residents along the lake and Front Street will need sandbags to protect their homes. This is where volunteering is so important something that district residents are known for.
Former Publisher
Fort Frances Times
