International Rainy and Namakan Lakes Rule Curves Study Board Submits its Final Report to the International Joint Commission
On June 30th, 2017, the International Rainy and Namakan Lakes Rule Curves Study Board submitted its final report entitled Managing Water Levels and Flows in the Rainy River Basin to the International Joint Commission.
The Commission established the Study Board in the summer of 2015 and charged it “to evaluate options for regulating levels and flows in the Rainy-Namakan Lakes system in order to benefit affected interests and the system as a whole in a manner that conforms to the requirements of the Treaty.” The Study Board’s findings and recommendations reflect the input of those who provided feedback during the study, and they are built upon careful consideration of the many supporting scientific studies sponsored by the IJC and resource agencies in both countries.
The Commission is now reviewing these recommendations, and it plans to hold public hearings in the Rainy Basin later this summer. Details on the hearing will be available in the coming weeks.
The International Joint Commission was established under the Boundary Waters Treaty of 1909 to help the United States and Canada prevent and resolve disputes over the use of the waters the two countries share. Its responsibilities include investigating and reporting on issues of concern when asked by the governments of the two countries. For more information, visit the Commission's website at www.ijc.org.
For more information:
Sarah Lobrichon
Ottawa
613-992-5368
Frank Bevacqua
Washington
202-736-9024