June/July 1995
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June/July 1995 |
"Its natural forests, lakes, rivers and waterfalls have a beauty and appeal beyond description."
This is how the International Joint Commission described the Rainy Lake watershed in 1934. The watershed includes an intricate network of largely rockbound lakes and connecting streams, and forms part of the southern headwaters of the vast Hudson Bay watershed. Rainy Lake, with its outlet along the international border at Fort Frances, Ontario and International Falls, Minnesota, is at the lower end of these headwaters. It is the largest lake in the watershed, which also includes Namakan and Kabetogama Lakes and a chain of smaller lakes.
Temperatures in the basin can be extreme, ranging from -45 Celsius (-50 Fahrenheit) in January to 38 Celsius (100 Fahrenheit) in July. Mean precipitation is 69 centimeters (27 inches), much of which falls as rain in June, July and August. Snowfall, which comprises about 30 percent of the annual precipitation, is typically on the ground from November through April.
Water-based recreation, fisheries, hydroelectric generation and the forest products industry are some of the uses that depend on the resources of these rivers and lakes. Boise Cascade Corporation in Minnesota and Rainy River Forest Products, Inc. in Ontario (formerly the Minnesota and Ontario Paper Company), have produced power, pulp, paper and building products since 1909 at facilities at the outlet of Rainy Lake. These production facilities have been updated and upscaled several times and remain in full production today on both sides of the river.
Rainy Lake and Namakan Lake Water Levels
The outlet of Rainy Lake has been controlled since 1909 by an international dam extending between Fort Frances, Ontario and International Falls, Minnesota at the site of the former Koochiching Falls. Two powerhouses also exist at this site, one on each side of the river.
The flow out of Namakan Lake at Kettle Falls, above Rainy Lake, has been controlled since 1914 by two small dams. One, known as the Canadian dam, is located entirely in Ontario (at the former Squirrel Falls) and the other, straddling the international border, is known as the International Dam. Both structures consist of controlled sluices to regulate outflows from Namakan Lake and there are no power facilities. The structures at the outlets of both Rainy and Namakan Lakes are owned and operated by Boise Cascade Corporation and Rainy River Forest Products, Inc.
In 1926 the Governments of Canada and the United States asked the International Joint Commission to investigate the regulation of levels of Rainy Lake, Namakan Lake and boundary waters above Namakan Lake for various purposes. The Commission's recommendations led to the 1938 Rainy Lake Convention that provided for emergency regulation of the level of Rainy Lake and other boundary waters in the watershed. This convention empowered the Commission to determine when high or low emergency water conditions exist in the Rainy Lake watershed and to adopt measures for operating the existing dams at Kettle Falls and at International Falls-Fort Frances in response to these conditions.
Under the convention, the Commission issued an order for the regulation of water levels of Rainy and Namakan Lakes to prevent the occurrence of emergency conditions. The order, which has been revised several times, specifies a band of upper and lower limits for water levels on each lake.
The Commission appointed an International Rainy Lake Board of Control to act as its technical advisor and monitor the regulation of Namakan and Rainy Lakes to ensure compliance with the Commission's order. The board holds annual meetings in the basin each spring to discuss and explain general problems of regulation and control with resort owners and other interested parties. The board also keeps the Commission informed of various concerns and initiatives in the basin.
Review of the Commission's Order
In recent years, concerns have been expressed regarding the effects of the current method of regulation on interests in the Rainy Lake watershed including navigation, aquatic vegetation, fish and wildlife, tourism and shoreline property. Many of these concerns were addressed in the Final Report and Recommendations of the Rainy Lake and Namakan Reservoir Water Level International Steering Committee, dated November 1993, and in written responses to that report. Others were expressed in submissions received at and subsequent to the International Joint Commission's public hearing held in International Falls, Minnesota on November 10, 1994. At this time there is no consensus among the various interests regarding the effects of the current approach to regulation or the proposed changes.
In response to these concerns, the International Joint Commission decided at its April 1995 semi-annual meeting to review its order for the emergency regulation of the level of Rainy Lake and other boundary waters in the Rainy Lake watershed. After receiving advice from its board and carefully considering all views, including those provided during and after the public hearing, the Commission has asked its board to prepare a plan of study by the end of June 1995 for reviewing the order, while at the same time exploring alternative ways to address the issues. For further information contact Frank Bevacqua or Alan Clarke at the Commission's Washington or Ottawa offices, respectively.
Sommaire
Au cours des dernières années, certaines préoccupations ont été soulevées relativement aux incidences de la méthode actuelle de régularisation sur certaines questions d'intérêt dans le bassin hydrologique du lac à la Pluie, notamment la navigation, la végétation aquatique, les poissons et la faune, le tourisme et la propriété riveraine. Bon nombre de ces questions ont été traitées dans le Rapport final et les recommandations du comité directeur international sur le niveau de l'eau du lac à la Pluie et du réservoir Namakan, datés de novembre 1993, ainsi que dans des réponses écrites relatives à ce rapport. D'autres préoccupations ont été exprimées à l'occasion des audiences publiques de la Commission mixte internationale tenues à International Falls (Minnesota) le 10 novembre 1994 et par la suite. Il n'existe présentement aucun consensus quant aux incidences de l'approche actuelle relative à la régularisation ou aux changements proposés.
En réponse à ces préoccupations, la Commission mixte internationale a décidé, lors de sa rencontre semestrielle d'avril 1995, d'entreprendre un examen de son ordre d'approbation relative à la régularisation d'urgence du niveau d'eau du lac à la Pluie et des autres eaux frontalières qui font partie du bassin hydrographique du lac à la Pluie. Après réception d'un avis de la part de son Conseil et examen attentif de tous les aspects de cette question, notamment ceux soumis avant et après les audiences publiques, la Commission a demandé à son conseil de préparer un plan d'étude pour réviser l'ordre d'approbation tout en examinant des solutions différentes pour aborder ces questions.
Revised: March 20, 1997
Maintained by Kevin McGunagle,
mcgunaglek@ijc.wincom.net