With last weekend’s precipitation, and more in the forecast for most of this week, the water level on Rainy Lake continues to rise past normal levels.
It reached 337.87 m (1,108.5 feet) this morning, well above the International Joint Commission’s rule curve maximum of 337.75 m (1,108.1 feet)
And with inflow measured at 1,300 cubic metres per second and outflow at just 927 cu. m/s, the lake is sure to rise even more still. Actually, it was showing signs of levelling off before last weekend’s rain.
“Inflows are up in response to this weekend’s rain, which, of course, we certainly didn’t need,” said Rick Walden, an engineering advisor to the International Board of Control.
But for now, although both Abitibi-Consolidated and Boise Cascade have indicated the water is at emergency levels, there is no reason to panic, Walden said.
“At this point the dam is fully open, you can’t take any further action. But it’s not that you immediately start incurring damage at this level,” he explained.
“Depending on the particular piece of shoreline or particular piece of property, a level that’s causing damage or concern for one person may not be of particular concern for most people,” he added.
In fact, current water levels are nowhere near Rainy Lake’s all-time high of 339.2 m (1,112.86 inches) set in June, 1950. “We’re a long way from that–and you would not want to see that,” said Walden.
Rainy Lake also remains below its 1996 high of 338.1 m, reached in June of that year–a year which prompted most lakefront property owners to be prepared for higher water levels.
“The water isn’t as high as it was in ’96. It’s still, what, five or six inches below that level,” Silver Muskie Lodge owner said Galen Boerhave said Tuesday.
“It’s getting about level with my crib dock and I’ll have to build a platform, but my other floating docks are fine,” he added.
“We’re okay for right now,” echoed Camp Narrows Lodge employee Eric Lessman. “There’s one [dock] about half under.
“It’s up there this year and we usually put water in barrels and tie them on . . . we’ll probably be doing that within the next few days.”
At The Fisheries Resort, owner Frank Wepruk’s docks are floating above the water but his neighbours’ docks aren’t all doing as well.
“They’re in crisis situation, they’ve had to rebuild their docks a bit,” he said.
But elsewhere across the district, the rising water is beginning to cause more serious problems.
Sections of road are threatening to flood and downstream in Rainy River, Public Works employees began throwing sandbags along the river’s edge to prevent the rapidly-rising water–which already is flooding basements and roads–from causing further damage.
On Monday, the Abitibi-Consolidated and Boise Cascade mills announced that Namakan and Kabetogama lakes were expected to reach flood levels today after the area received 4 cm (1.6 inches) of rain between Sunday and Monday.
This morning, water levels there were measured at 341.18 m (1,119.36 inches) and rising, with a five-day average inflow of 717 cu. m/s and an outflow of just 601 cu. m/s.
“If we get the projected rain, everything is going to continue to rise,” warned Raimo Tyrvainen, Abitibi-Consolidated’s energy and utilities co-ordinator.
“If you look at the forecast, it looks like we get a little reprieve tomorrow but then it’s supposed to rain for the next week,” he added.
“It’s beginning to look a lot like 1996–and it all hinges on the rain.”
Fort Frances Times
Local News from Across the Rainy River District
