International Kootenay Lake Board of Control launches Plan of Study to review 1938 Order on Corra Linn Dam

The International Kootenay Lake Board of Control is conducting an information gathering initiative to develop a Plan of Study to review the 1938 Order on Corra Linn Dam. The near century-old Order of Approval of the International Joint Commission (IJC) stipulates the conditions for managing Kootenay Lake levels and outflows. The board oversees that the dam operator, FortisBC, remains in compliance with the IJC’s Order. 

The IJC has directed the board to review the 1938 Order to consider ways of modernizing the management of Kootenay Lake. Over the coming months, the board will continue to seek input from the public, local organisations, governments, and interested parties in the United States and Canada to gather information on potential changes to the current Order.

In December 2025, the Kootenay board held public listening sessions in Nelson, BC; Bonners Ferry, ID; and online focused on collecting public input on potential changes to the regulation of Corra Linn Dam at the outlet of Kootenay Lake. These meetings were well attended, and the board received helpful input to consider in developing its Plan of Study.   

The board solicited public input broadly related to environmental, social and economic concerns related to dam operations and water levels on Kootenay Lake and the Kootenay River. A wide range of interests and concerns were raised and included:

• Backwater effects from dam operations can impact property upstream on the Kootenay River, particularly in the lowlands between the south arm of Kootenay Lake and Bonners Ferry, Idaho, where there is significant agricultural activity. There was interest in the board conducting an economic assessment of these damages and costs imposed on farmers.
• There was great interest in conducting a range of studies into finding optimal water regulation procedures at Corra Linn dam to support various fish species and fish movement in the Kootenay system (e.g., burbot, sturgeon, shore-spawning and stream-spawning Kokanee).
• Participants expressed interest in studying optimal lake operations to support wetlands on Kootenay Lake and the Kootenay River. Wetlands can provide important connections for nutrient movement in the system as well as provide important habitat for many plant and animal species.
• There was interest in studying whether further dredging of Grohman Narrows (the natural constriction point of the Kootenay River upstream of Corra Linn Dam) could be considered to allow for greater control of water levels, particularly in flood years.
• Attendees expressed a desire for greater forecasting and communication regarding high and low-water levels on the lake and river that could help the public prepare better for these events.

Many other ideas and topics were brought forward to the board for consideration in the development of their Plan of Study, and board members indicated their appreciation for the time and input participants contributed to this review process. All comments will be considered by the board in developing the Plan of Study.

Those who were not able to participate in the public meetings can provide input on the potential Order review to the board via the Contact form on its website up until February 15,  2026. 

This initial outreach is an information-gathering phase for the board. Once the board has completed its engagements with various groups in the Kootenay Lake basin, it will synthesize the input received and draft a Plan of Study document proposing the studies needed to inform a recommendation of potential changes to the 1938 Order. This draft document will be shared with the public for review in summer 2026.  The Plan of Study to review the 1938 Order of Approval is focused solely on the operation of the Corra Linn Dam at the outlet of Kootenay Lake and will not study changes to the management of other dams.

The Kootenay Lake Visualization Tool is available to the public to better understand the complexities, competing interests, and physical limitations in the management of Kootenay Lake’s water levels.