Unseasonable rainfall has caused water levels to rise dramatically in the Winnipeg River system.

The Lake of the Woods Control Board issued a notice Wednesday, Oct. 2 indicating that the water levels below the Norman Dam should be leveling off. Levels at Minaki are still expected to rise by a foot or more before levelling off, a total rise of roughly three feet.

Lake of the Woods outflow is approximately 90 per cent of the maximum possible at the present lake level, according to the LWCB.

The LWCB says rainfall in September across the local Lake of the Woods watershed was the third highest on record, behind 1991 and 1941, more than double the normal rainfall for this period.

After a dry summer and a wet fall, the LWCB has directed a series of large increases in outflow from the Lake of the Woods into the Winnipeg River. IN Manitoba, the Winnipeg River level at Nutimik Lake is expected to rise by four feet in response to last week’s flow increases from the Lake of the Woods, with additional rise over the next couple of weeks expected due to rising flows in the English River system.

Outflow from Rainy Lake is roughly triple the rate normally seen at the start of October and is declining. The remaining portion of the inflow to Lake of the Woods is mostly from small tributaries, wetlands, and rainfall directly on the lake over the past week. Should dry weather develop, it is expected that lake inflow will quickly drop, allowing for lake level decline. However, given the saturated conditions, any additional rainfall will contribute to runoff and additional inflow.

Most of the latest forecasts suggest the level of Lake of the Woods should stabilize over the next week, with some additional rise possible with rainfall this weekend. The LWCB says they are monitoring conditions closely to determine if further outflow increases are needed. Outflow is expected to remain high throughout October under all precipitation scenarios.

Visit www.lwcb.ca for the latest water levels and flows see the LWCB’s notice board for updates on planned flow adjustments.