Press Release
On July 18, the Water Levels Committee of the International Rainy-Lake of the Woods Watershed Board directed the dam operators on Namakan Lake to target the upper rule curve rather than the middle portion of the rule curve band.
This step was taken to help increase the rate of decline of Rainy Lake.
As of Wednesday (Aug. 20), the average level of Rainy Lake returned to the middle portion of the rule curve band.
Now that Rainy Lake has returned to normal levels, the dam operators have been directed to resume normal operations on Namakan Lake.
Water levels will be maintained at the middle portion of the rule curve bands for both lakes.
Levels on Rainy Lake peaked on July 1 at 338.74 m (1,111.35 ft.)—the highest level since 1950.
They returned to the rule curve band Aug. 12.
Levels on Namakan Lake, meanwhile, peaked on June 18 at 341.55 m (1,120.57 ft.)—the highest level since 1968.
They returned to the rule curve band July 21.
