Rainy Lake is about 12 cm (four-and-a-half inches) too high these days.
According to the rule curve set out by the International Joint Commission, the lake’s level is much higher than it should be this time of year.
“It’s above the curve set by the IJC,” noted Rick Walden, an engineering advisor to the International Board of Control. “It is 12 cm above that rule curve at this date.”
According to the Lake of the Woods Water Control Board, the elevation of Rainy Lake is currently at 337.57 m–well above the IJC rule curve of roughly 336.81 m to 337.45 m.
The median for this time of the month is 337.23 m–37 cm below Rainy Lake’s current elevation.
The high lake levels are due to an above average in-flow into the watershed. With more than 90 mm of precipitation in the past 30 days, and 17 mm in the past seven alone, water has been rushing into the lake faster than it can flow out.
“Sometimes that does happen,” said Walden. “In-flows, as set by Mother Nature, are a variable thing.”
Water is flowing into the lake 220 cubic m/s faster than it has all year at 820 cubic m/s. The fastest in-flow seen since last May was in July when it was measured at 600 cubic m/s.
To help lower the lake’s water levels to meet the IJC rule curve, Abitibi-Consolidated Inc. here has opened several gates on its Rainy River dam.
“Currently we have 13 out of the 15 open,” said Raimo Tyrvainen, Abitibi-Consolidated’s energy and utilities co-ordinator.
But part of the problem is that only so much water can actually get into Rainy River from the lake. The water level is low west of the dam, with a wall of water built up on the east side of the Ranier rapids.
“We’re passing as much water as we can right now that’s coming through the Ranier rapids with the 13 gates open,” Tyrvainen explained.
Fort Frances Times
Local News from Across the Rainy River District
