Committees

The International Rainy, Lake of the Woods Watershed Board has four committees that report back to the full Board to seek final decisions and approvals, except as allowed for in the mandate of the Water Levels Committee as established by the International Joint Commission.

Aquatic Ecosystem Health Committee

The Aquatic Ecosystem Health Committee (AEHC) assists the board with respect to water quality and ecosystem health monitoring, reporting, objectives and analytics, and any other activities related to water quality or ecosystem health as assigned by the Board.

  • Teika Newton (CAN Co-Chair)
  • Mike Hirst (U.S Co-Chair)
  • Amy Adrihan (U.S)
  • Robi Chacha (CAN)
  • Joshua Jones (U.S)
  • Matt Myers (CAN)
  • Daniel Rheault (CAN)
  • Todd Sellers (CAN committee support)
  • James Stark (U.S)
Engagement Committee

The Engagement Committee (EC) coordinates outreach activities, prepares web-based documents and material to assist Board members engaging individuals and organizations within the basin.

  • Karen Cederwall (CAN Co-Chair)
  • Kelly Sjerven (U.S)
  • Doug Franchot (U.S)
  • Johann Strube (CAN)
  • Maria Jawaid (CAN)
Water Levels Committee

The Water Levels Committee (WLC) ensures that IJC Orders for the operation of the dams on the Rainy River and outlets of Namakan Lake are followed.

  • Col. Matthew Chase (U.S Co-Chair)
  • Megan Garner (CAN Co-Chair)
  • Scott Jutila (U.S)
  • Travis Rob (CAN)
  • Pam Tomevi (U.S)
  • Matt DeWolfe (CAN Engineering advisor)
  • Abby Moore (U.S Engineering advisor)
  • Rob Caldwell (CAN IJC staff advisor)
  • Mark Gabriel (U.S IJC staff advisor)
Adaptive Management Committee

The Adaptive Management Committee (AMC) was established in June 2020 following a recommendation in the Rainy and Namakan-Lakes Rule Curve review report of 2017 indicating a need for adaptive management to ensure the new rule curves (ratified in the 2018 Supplementary Order) continue to perform as expected.

Its overall objective is to consider information collected by resource agencies and others during the interim that may indicate the effect that changes to the 2018 rule curves have on water levels and flows and the impacts these have on the affected interests in the boundary waters of the Rainy River basin and make recommendations to the International Lake of the Woods Watershed Board.

The AMC is also responsible for overseeing the Board’s implementation of the IJC’s climate change adaptation guidance framework, an adaptive management protocol for Boards to assess and respond to known and anticipated climate change impacts.

  • Alexandra Lavictoire (CAN Co-Chair)
  • Phil Talmage (U.S Co-Chair)
  • Jesse Anderson (U.S)
  • Karen Cederwall (CAN)
  • Chris Herc (CAN)
  • Joshua Jones (U.S)
  • Melissa Mosley (CAN)
  • Anthony Pirkl (U.S)
  • Jeff Polakoff (CAN)
  • Rebecca Seal-Soileau (U.S)
  • Matthew Skoog (U.S)
  • Blake Cooney (CAN Technical Advisor)
  • Brady Hupet (CAN, Technical Advisor)
  • Ryan Maki (U.S. Technical Advisor)
  • Teika Newton (CAN Technical Advisor)
  • Meghan Mills (Secretarial support)