News Releases

The United States Army Corps of Engineers will be performing an inspection on the gates of the Compensating Works at the head of the St. Marys Rapids on Tuesday, May 23, 2023.

Higher than normal stream flow conditions continue in the headwaters of the Rainy River watershed due to the high spring snowmelt runoff in the eastern headwaters working its way through the Rainy River basin, including flows into the Namakan Chain of Lakes and Rainy Lake. The Water Levels Committee...

Lake Ontario water levels are approaching the seasonal peak. Outflow into the St. Lawrence River is gradually increasing, as Ottawa River flows gradually decrease.

The spring freshet in the Okanagan/Okanogan and Similkameen basins has commenced as snowpacks have begun to melt due to above normal temperatures in the last week. The snow pillow gauge at Mission Creek (elevation 1,780 meters or 5,840 feet) in the Okanagan basin was above normal for this time of...

Higher than normal stream flow conditions have developed in the headwaters of the Rainy River watershed, including flows into Namakan Lake and Rainy Lake, following snowmelt and precipitation in late April. These high flow conditions have led to the water levels of Namakan Lake rising above its...

A wet weather system has remained over the Lake Ontario-St. Lawrence River basin for several days. The persistent rain and runoff from the system continues to cause water levels in Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River to rise.

Anglers and other users of the St. Marys Rapids, please be advised that the gate setting of the Compensating Works at the head of the St. Marys Rapids will be increased on Monday May 8, 2023, from the current setting equivalent to approximately five gates fully open to a setting equivalent to...

The International Kootenay Lake Board of Control, after consultation with FortisBC on Corra Linn Dam operations, has determined that “the commencement of the spring rise” for purposes defined in the 1938 International Joint Commission Order on Kootenay Lake occurred at 00:00 PDT on April 30, 2023...

Heavy rain in recent days across the Lake Ontario-St. Lawrence River basin has led to rapid increases in Ottawa River flows and rising Lake Ontario water levels. Continued wet weather and runoff from the recent rains may result in flooding of vulnerable areas along the Lake Ontario shoreline as well...

The International Rainy-Lake of the Woods Watershed Board (IRLWWB)’s Water Levels Committee (WLC) met to review current conditions and forecasts and determine new lake level targets for the remaining spring freshet. The target water levels for Rainy and Namakan Lake will be within the 25-75% band of...

Anglers and other users of the St. Marys Rapids, please be advised that the gates of the Compensating Works at the head of the St. Marys Rapids will be adjusted on Monday April 24, 2023. Gates #6 through #16 will each be raised to a setting of 94 cm (37 in.), which is equivalent to approximately...

The International Joint Commission (IJC) is announcing that the data mapping products, tools and models that resulted from the International Lake Champlain-Richelieu River Study Board (Board) study are now publicly available.

The International Rainy-Lake of the Woods Watershed Board (IRLWWB)’s Water Levels Committee (WLC) met to review current conditions and forecasts and determine lake level targets for the period of April 15-30 following the Public Information Session on April 11th. The target water levels throughout...

The International St. Mary and Milk Rivers Study Board will be holding a public town hall meeting May 2. All are welcome to attend. The purpose of this meeting is to update the public on the study’s progress, work plan and timeline of studies into 2024, as well as to solicit public feedback on...

Anglers and other users of the St. Marys Rapids, please be advised that a higher than customary gate setting continues to be maintained to minimize the impacts of ongoing maintenance at Evolugen’s Clergue hydropower facility in Canada.

The International Rainy-Lake of the Woods Watershed Board (IRLWWB)’s Water Levels Committee (WLC) met to review current conditions and forecasts and determine lake level targets for April 15th. Personnel from the National Weather Service-Duluth Office, Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and...

The International Rainy-Lake of the Woods Watershed Board (IRLWWB) Water Levels Committee (WLC) will host a follow-up virtual information session on Tuesday, April 11, 2023, at 7:00 p.m. CDT.

The International Rainy-Lake of the Woods Watershed Board (IRLWWB)’s Water Levels Committee (WLC) established an initial spring regulation plan for Rainy and Namakan Lakes on March 10, 2023. This plan is issued in accordance with a new temporary supplementary Order issued by the International Joint...

The International Rainy-Lake of the Woods Watershed Board (IRLWWB) Water Levels Committee (WLC) has released a draft of its 2022 Post Flood Report. The Committee welcomes public input and encourages all interested parties and individuals to offer their opinions and insights until April 3, 2023. In...

Anglers and other users of the St. Marys Rapids, please be advised that a higher than customary gate setting continues to be maintained to minimize the impacts of ongoing maintenance at Evolugen’s Clergue hydropower facility in Canada. The International Lake Superior Board of Control (Board) expects...

If you’re interested in activities by the International Osoyoos Lake Board of Control, it’s now easy to receive news releases in your email inbox. The Board has launched a new feature which enables people to sign up to receive periodic email notifications on news related to Board activities. The...

The International Rainy-Lake of the Woods Watershed Board (IRLWWB) Water Levels Committee (Committee) will host an in-person information session on Tuesday, March 7 at 6:00 p.m. CST at the Minnesota North College - Rainy River. This information session will provide an overview of the Water Levels...

Due to the lack of ice cover on Lake Erie and the absence of ice in the Maid-of-the-Mist Pool below Niagara Falls, preparations are underway for the removal of the Lake Erie – Niagara River Ice Boom. If weather allows for safe working conditions, crews from the New York Power Authority plan to begin...

The International Joint Commission (IJC) released its 2020-2021 Activities Report, outlining and summarizing the work of the IJC and its boards over the course of those two years. The IJC was extraordinarily productive over this two-year period, which coincided with the height of the COVID-19...

The International Rainy-Lake of the Woods Watershed Board (IRLWWB) Water Levels Committee (Committee) will host a virtual pre-spring information session on Monday, February 27, 2023, at 12:00 p.m. CST. The Committee ensures that International Joint Commission orders for the operation of the dams on...

The International Joint Commission (IJC)’s Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River Adaptive Management (GLAM) Committee has begun work on the second phase of an expedited review of the binational regulation plan for Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River, known formally as Plan 2014 (Plan). This is the plan...

The International Lake Ontario – St. Lawrence River Board (Board) is seeking your input. The Board would like to collect information specifically related to the reduced outflows from Lake Ontario October 7 through October 10, 2022 to support boat haul out and learn more about where people access the...

Anglers and other users of the St. Marys Rapids, please be advised that a higher than customary gate setting will be maintained this winter to minimize the impacts of ongoing maintenance at Evolugen’s Clergue hydropower facility in Canada. The gates of the Compensating Works at the head of the St...

The International Joint Commission (IJC) submitted its recommendations to the Canadian and United States’ governments about the reduction of risks and potential solutions to flooding in the Lake Champlain-Richelieu River basin. After over 5 years of extensive research, collaboration and engagement...

Climatological conditions within the Okanagan/Okanogan and Similkameen River basins varied during 2022, with the greatest impacts related to a cool spring leading to delayed snowmelt and a delayed freshest peak at Osoyoos Lake. While near-normal temperatures prevailed at the start of 2022...

Winnipeg, MB.—The International Red River Watershed Board (IRRWB) will be hosting an in-person public open house meeting during the Red River Basin Commission’s Annual Conference on Thursday, January 19, 2023 from 11:45 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. CST. The IRRWB assists the International Joint Commission...

The International Joint Commission’s (IJC), International St. Croix River Watershed Board invites you to attend a virtual public meeting on January 24th at 6 pm Eastern (7 pm Atlantic). The Board assists the IJC with general oversight of the shared St. Croix River boundary waters between Maine and...

Higher than customary gate setting will be maintained this winter to minimize the impacts of ongoing maintenance at the Canadian hydropower facility. The gates of the Compensating Works at the head of the St. Marys Rapids will be maintained at an equivalent of two gates fully open (Gates #6 through...

The IJC issued a Temporary Order of Approval on December 20, 2022, to allow for installation of 21 of the 22 sections of the Niagara River ice boom. NYPA installed 21 spans of the ice boom this ice season leaving out the last span of the ice boom located nearest to the Canadian shore. The...

Installation of the ice boom for the 2022-2023 ice season is scheduled to begin Friday December 16, weather permitting.

Anglers and other users of the St. Marys Rapids, please be advised that a higher than customary gate setting will be maintained this winter to minimize the impacts of ongoing maintenance at the Canadian hydropower facility. The gates of the Compensating Works at the head of the St. Marys Rapids have...

Note: Due to unforeseen scheduling conflicts, the gate adjustments will occur on November 23 and 28. It was previously reported that the initial gate movements would occur today, on November 21, but these adjustments have been postponed to November 23.

Anglers and other users of the St. Marys Rapids are advised that the gate setting of the Compensating Works structure at the head of the Rapids will be adjusted on November 21 and again on November 28, 2022.

To continue improving water quality in the Red River basin, including downstream in Lake Winnipeg, the governments of Canada and the United States approved four additional water quality objectives to be monitored by the International Red River Watershed Board (IRRWB) following a recommendation by...

Anglers and other users of the St. Marys Rapids, please be advised that the St. Marys Rapids flows and water levels will remain above average in November. The gate setting of the Compensating Works will remain at the current setting equivalent to approximately six gates fully open.

The International Kootenay Lake Board of Control is releasing an Information Paper which includes information about Kootenay Lake to support potential future research. The paper was used to inform the board’s decision of whether to recommend an International Joint Commission (IJC) review of its 1938...

Osoyoos Lake Board of Control public meeting: Wednesday, October 26, 2022, 6:30-8 p.m. (PDT) The International Osoyoos Lake Board of Control is holding its annual public meeting at the Oroville High School in Oroville, Washington, at 6:30 p.m. (PDT) on October 26. There also will be an option to...

Correction: the location of the October 24 meeting was updated. The International St. Mary and Milk Rivers Study Board will be holding two public town hall meetings in late October. All are welcome to attend. The purpose of these meetings is to update the public on the study’s progress to date, as...

Anglers and other users of the St. Marys Rapids, please be advised that the St. Marys Rapids flows and water levels will remain above average in October. Some recreational trails and features in these areas will likely be flooded, and users are encouraged to use extreme caution.

The International Lake Ontario-St. Lawrence River Board will temporarily reduce outflows from Lake Ontario at the Moses Saunders Dam from noon on Friday, October 7th through noon on Monday, October 10th to reach a target water level of about 73.10 meters (239.83 ft.) on Lake St. Lawrence at Long...

The International Joint Commission (IJC) has extended the public comment period for the International Lake Champlain-Richelieu River Study Board’s final report on flooding in the basin until Oct. 14, 2022. The report investigated the causes, impacts, risks and potential solutions to flooding in the...

Due to Lake Ontario water levels decreasing and falling below the Criterion H14 threshold this week, the International Lake Ontario – St. Lawrence River Board now has the authority to implement deviations from plan-prescribed flows beginning September 24.

Today, the International Joint Commission (IJC) launches its efforts to gather public feedback on the Canadian and United States governments’ latest actions to protect, restore and enhance Great Lakes water quality. The IJC is collecting public input through virtual and in-person engagement...

The International Lake Ontario-St. Lawrence River Board plans to temporarily reduce outflows from Lake Ontario to increase water levels on Lake St. Lawrence the second weekend of October. These efforts will provide marinas and shoreline dock owners an opportunity at the end of the season to remove...

The International Joint Commission (IJC) is welcoming public input on the International Lake Champlain-Richelieu River Study Board’s final report until September 30, 2022. The Report investigated the causes, impacts, risks and potential solutions to flooding in the Lake Champlain-Richelieu River...