This morning the Board authorized the opening of the last two gates in the Rainy Lake dam. All 15 gates in the dam plus both the Boise Cascade and the Abitibi-Consolidated powerhouses are now discharging all possible water, for the current lake level, from Rainy Lake into the Rainy River.

The level of Rainy Lake is now at 338.17 m (1109.48 ft) and is rising about 8-10 cm (3-4 in) per day. The rate of rise is declining slowly. The peak level reached on Rainy Lake during the high water event of 2001 was 338.24 m (1109.71 ft), which was the 7th highest level reached on the lake since 1911. The peak level in 2001 was the highest since 1968, when the lake reached 338.36 m (1110.11 ft), which was the 5th highest since 1911. The highest level ever recorded on Rainy Lake was 339.23 m (1112.97 ft) in 1950.

The Board recommends that property owners and users of the system continue to keep themselves updated on basin conditions. Up-to-date information can be found on Boise’s web site (lakes.bc.com), on the Lake of the Woods Control Board site (www.lwcb.ca) and on the St. Paul District Corps of Engineers web site (www.mvp-wc.usace.army.mil). Persons can also call the Board’s engineering advisors, Rick Walden (819-997-2529) or Ed Eaton (651-290-5617).

Rick Walden 819-997-2529
Ed Eaton 651-290-5617