News Releases

The month of May has been drier than average in the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River watershed. Based on data from the GLERL Hydromet database and US Army Corps of Engineers data, the most recent 12 months over Lake Ontario have been the driest since 1966. The Canadian and United States drought...

The International Lake Ontario – St. Lawrence River Board will host several binational virtual public meetings to discuss the current conditions on Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River. We have been hearing from concerned property owners, business owners, and recreational users regarding the...

Lower than average precipitation and winter snowpack runoff have resulted in decreased inflows to Lake Ontario. The reduced inflows have resulted in lower water levels on Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River. In response to these conditions, the Board has decided to reduce outflows from Lake...

The risk of flooding on Lake Ontario and the upper St. Lawrence River has declined from moderate in December 2020 to low. In December, the risk analysis indicated a 28% chance of water levels exceeding a threshold at which damages occur in many shoreline communities. The risk is now down to 8%...

The International Lake Ontario - St. Lawrence Board is optimistic that weather conditions the rest of this winter and spring won’t cause a damaging rise in Lake Ontario levels this year. However, it has been acting proactively since 1 January to reduce lake levels this winter just in case the...

The International Joint Commission (IJC) has approved the Board’s request for authority to deviate from Plan 2014, and as conditions permit, outflows from the Moses-Saunders dam on the St. Lawrence River can be increased to exceed Plan 2014 flows. The risk of high water on Lake Ontario in 2021 is...

The Board will temporarily decrease outflows over the second weekend of October to raise Lake St. Lawrence levels significantly and provide a brief, final opportunity for residents of Lake St. Lawrence to remove their boats and other equipment prior to winter. Last week, the Board agreed to let Lake...

A public Great Lakes water levels webinar hosted by the International Joint Commission's Lake Superior Board of Control, Lake Ontario-St. Lawrence River Board and Niagara Board of Control was held July 17. This webinar provided an overview of why the Great Lakes were at their current levels and how...

With summer nearing an end, the Board will adjust its outflow strategy and allow Lake St. Lawrence levels to decline to the normal navigation season minimum following the September long weekend. This decision will allow for slightly more water to be released from Lake Ontario during the fall. The...

Lake Ontario levels peaked early this year at 75.40 m (247.38 ft.) on 5 May, 10 cm (4 inches) below the general flood stage and over a half meter (20 inches) lower than the peak in 2019. Lake levels are expected to continue their seasonal decline through summer, and have fallen 6 cm (2 in.) from the...

Thanks to favorable weather and water supply conditions, in conjunction with recent actions taken by the International Lake Ontario-St. Lawrence River Board to increase Lake Ontario outflows, the board no longer needs to limit outflows to alleviate flooding risks downstream.

Water levels throughout the Lake Ontario – St. Lawrence River system in 2020 are expected to peak well below the record-highs of 2017 and 2019, according to the latest projections from the International Lake Ontario-St. Lawrence River Board.

Water levels remain high across the Great Lakes basin. The four upper Great Lakes are near- or above record-high levels, while Lake Ontario is still well above average, but also well below record levels. Lake Ontario is now likely to remain below record-highs through the spring.

The first major spring storm pushed through the Great Lakes – St. Lawrence River basin this past weekend, bringing high winds and precipitation, raising inflows and accelerating the seasonal rise in water levels.

Spring is a critical period for Lake Ontario outflow regulation, as the International Lake Ontario - St. Lawrence River Board is closely coordinating with the Ottawa River Regulation Planning Board during the Ottawa River snowmelt (freshet), to have the highest outflow from Lake Ontario while...

Due to favorable ice conditions and previously implemented deviation strategies, the Lake Ontario outflows surpassed the historical record-high for the month of March, making this the third straight monthly record that has been exceeded during the Board’s ongoing efforts to deviate from Plan 2014...

The International Lake Ontario–St. Lawrence River Board agreed March 11th to amend its Plan 2014 temporary deviation strategies to allow for additional increases to the rate of water removed from Lake Ontario through the spring.

The International Lake Ontario–St. Lawrence River Board agreed on February 21 to continue deviating from Plan 2014 and maximize outflows through the spring.

Lake Ontario is again near record highs for this time of year and the risk of high levels this spring remains elevated. While considerable uncertainty in projections for spring still exists, the International Lake Ontario–St. Lawrence River Board is providing advanced notice so communities can begin...

Mild temperatures and minimal ice cover in the St. Lawrence River made it possible to release record amounts of water from Lake Ontario during January and continuing into February, but inflows to Lake Ontario also set records last month. The continuing trend of extremely high water supplies, which...

In an easy-to-read background paper on High Water in 2019, the International Lake Ontario-St. Lawrence River Board responds to the call for more accessible information.

Following the closure of the Seaway, and some partial and temporary ice formation in early January, mild temperatures across the Lake Ontario basin have allowed the International Lake Ontario - St. Lawrence River Board to set Lake Ontario outflows at unprecedented levels, higher than has ever...

Outflows will be increased substantially in the coming days as efforts to remove water from Lake Ontario continue. Starting tomorrow, following the end of navigation season, outflows will be increased as much as possible until ice formation resumes on the St. Lawrence River. A flow increase from 8...

Cold weather has caused ice formation to start at critical areas on the St. Lawrence River, requiring Lake Ontario outflows to be temporarily reduced in order to reduce the risk of ice jams. Cold temperatures yesterday and overnight caused water temperatures to plunge along the St. Lawrence River...

While Lake Ontario remains above long-term average, regulated outflows will remain as high as feasible based on river conditions. As a result, residents around Lake St. Lawrence are being warned to expect both extreme high and low water levels this winter, as the Board implements a winter deviation...

The International Lake Ontario – St. Lawrence River Board (Board) announced today that, in directing Lake Ontario outflows, it has been given the ability to continue deviating from the flow specified by Plan 2014. The Board has had authority to deviate from Plan 2014 since May 7th, after Lake...

To provide the highest attainable relief to all interests, both upstream and downstream of the Moses-Saunders Dam, outflows remain at record-high rates for this time of year, eclipsing the outflows released at this same time in any other years dating back to 1900. As Lake Ontario continues its...

Due to the declining Lake Ontario level combined with extraordinarily high outflows still being released through Moses-Saunders Dam, the forebay upstream of the dam has seen a significant sustained drop in water levels, making it extremely challenging to haul-out boats that would normally be removed...

Lake Ontario levels reached 75.50 m (247.7 ft) and the record outflows of 10,400 m3/s (367,270 cubic feet per second) were reduced to 10,110 m3/s (357,000 cubic feet per second) at 12:01AM on August 21, 2019.

Water levels on Lake Ontario have begun to decline more rapidly in recent days due to a combination of continued record-high outflows, declining inflows from Lake Erie and generally drier weather across the basin. Lake Ontario’s level remains at record-highs for this time of year, but it has...

Lake Ontario water levels continue to decline slowly as the Board is maintaining record outflows of 10,400 m3/s (367,270 cubic feet per second). At its meeting on July 19th, the Board deliberated several outflow strategies above 10,400 m3/s and considered both the additional decline on Lake Ontario...

Water levels are declining throughout the system as warmer, drier weather and record Lake Ontario outflows of 10,400 m3/s (367,270 cubic feet per second) continue. At its meeting on July 5th, the Board reached consensus to maintain the current outflow, which is 200 m3/s (7,060 cfs) higher than...

Water levels are expected to decline throughout the system this week as drier conditions are forecast and record Lake Ontario outflows of 10,400 m3/s (367,270 cubic feet per second) continue. At its meeting on June 28th, the Board reached consensus to maintain the current outflow and continue...

The Board is doing everything possible to provide all possible relief to Lake Ontario and upper St. Lawrence River residents, while considering impacts throughout the system. During its meeting on 21 June, the Board decided to maintain outflows at their current record-high levels, 10,400 m3/s (367...

LAKE ONTARIO OUTFLOWS TO BE MAINTAINED ABOVE NAVIGATION LIMIT - The Board is actively exploring deviating beyond an outflow of 10,400 m3/s (367,270 cfs) reached on June 13th, with the intent to provide relief to shoreline stakeholders upstream of the Moses-Saunders Power Dam.

LAKE ONTARIO OUTFLOWS TO BE INCREASED ABOVE NAVIGATION LIMIT - The International Lake Ontario – St. Lawrence River Board (Board) will continue to increase outflows to provide relief to shoreline interests on Lake Ontario after it agreed to raise flows above the regulation plan’s maximum L-Limit...

LAKE ONTARIO REACHING PEAK, OUTFLOWS INCREASED RAPIDLY - Lake Ontario water levels have started to stabilize due to decreased precipitation and increased Lake Ontario outflows, which have been increasing rapidly as Ottawa River flows have continued to drop from their record highs this spring.

LAKE ONTARIO REACHES RECORD, BOARD CONTINUES TO RESPOND - Lake Ontario has reached 75.90 m (249.02 ft), exceeding the record peak of 75.88 m (248.95 ft) set in 2017, and will continue rising gradually over the next several days, but is expected to reach this year’s peak within one to three weeks.

Lake Ontario water levels have reached 75.85 m (248.85 ft) and will likely reach or exceed the 2017 record high of 75.88 m (248.95 ft) with the next few days. Forecasts show that Lake Ontario levels are expected to crest within the next one to three weeks, mostly likely within a few centimeters...

Outflows from Lake Ontario have increased once again after they were temporarily reduced after heavy rainfall a week ago caused a second peak in Ottawa River flows, which led to an increase in St. Lawrence River water levels and additional flooding on the St. Lawrence River near Montreal. With...

LAKE ONTARIO OUTFLOWS CONTINUE TO BE ADJUSTED TO BALANCE HIGH WATER LEVELS - With Lake Ontario caught between a flooding Lake Erie and a flooded lower St. Lawrence River, outflows from Lake Ontario continue to be frequently adjusted to balance the impacts of high water levels that are occurring...

A major flood event is under way in the lower St. Lawrence River with levels in some areas above 2017 peaks, while levels throughout the Lake Ontario - St. Lawrence River system are expected to keep rising significantly this coming week due to rainfall across the basin. The Lake Ontario outflows are...

HIGH LAKE ONTARIO OUTFLOWS CONTINUE - The outflow from Lake Ontario remains very high and it continues to be gradually increased in response to rising Lake Ontario levels and persistently high inflows from Lake Erie.

PLAN 2014 CONTINUES TO REDUCE LAKE ONTARIO FLOOD RISKS. BOAT HAULOUT ASSISTANCE PLANNED FOR LAKE ST. LAWRENCE -- Lake Ontario water levels have recently dipped below long-term average for the first time since January 2017.

NEW REPORT ON 2017 LAKE ONTARIO AND ST. LAWRENCE RIVER FLOODING -- A report released today by the International Lake Ontario-St. Lawrence River Board (the Board) provides a detailed account of the historic 2017 flood, and the Board’s actions under Plan 2014 to regulate Lake Ontario outflows in the...

LAKE ONTARIO PEAKS AS OUTFLOWS CONTINUE TO REMAIN HIGH -- Spring has come and mostly gone in the Lake Ontario – St. Lawrence River system, and much more moderate weather conditions have left water levels throughout the basin well below the extreme highs that occurred last year.

Water levels across the Lake Ontario - St. Lawrence River system have now begun their typical spring rise, but several months of high outflows combined with favorable winter weather conditions has levels back within their normal range and well below those seen during the historic high water event...

The average Lake Ontario outflow during the month of February was the highest in recorded history.

Several months of maximizing outflows has dropped Lake Ontario at an unprecedented rate and to well below the record peak set at the end of May 2017, yet water levels remain relatively high for this time of year after a cold and wet start to winter.

The International Lake Ontario - St. Lawrence River Board (Board) will temporarily reduce outflows through the Moses-Saunders Dam on October 7-8 in an effort to raise water levels on Lake St. Lawrence and provide a one-time opportunity to assist with end-of-season boat haul outs.