Orders of Approval

The Orders govern the operations of the international hydropower project at Massena, New York and Cornwall, Ontario, that affect water levels and flows in Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River. The hydropower project includes channel enlargements that increased the river’s capacity to release water from Lake Ontario, as well as the gated dams that regulate the river flows and outflow from Lake Ontario. The Orders reflect the priorities for water use set by the Boundary Waters Treaty, as well as suitable protections for riparian, environmental, and commercial and recreational navigation interests on Lake Ontario and downstream. 

The Supplementary Order of 2016 specifies conditions and a range of criteria that a regulation plan must satisfy to establish its objectives.  The Order also requires the Board to work with the Great Lakes – St. Lawrence River Adaptive Management (GLAM) Committee to monitor and assess the performance of the regulation plan.


Orders of Approval