After a brief warm up and some mixed precipitation over the southern portions of the basin last week, temperatures have dropped and conditions are expected to be cold with minimal precipitation over the next week.

The current level of the Lake of the Woods is 322.42 m (1057.8 ft), a 20^th percentile level, below the normal range for this time of year. The average lake level decreased 1 cm (0.4 in) over the past week and is expected to remain stable or decrease by 1.6 cm (0.6 in) over the next week. Lake of the Woods authorized outflow is 200 m³/s, with no changes scheduled at this time.

The current level of Lac Seul is 354.78 m (1163.95 ft), a 20^th percentile level, below the normal range for this time of year. The lake level decreased 7 cm (2.8 in) over the last week and is expected to decrease by 3 to 5 cm (1 to 2 in) over the next week. Lac Seul authorized outflow will be reduced to 215 m³/s, on Monday, March 16^th to continue slowing the rate of level decline.

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Spring Regulation Strategy

On March 5, the LWCB held its spring Regulation Meeting in Kenora where it adopted a new Regulation Strategy. The strategy outlines regulation targets for various inflow conditions for the period of March to June 2026, and was developed considering basin conditions, hydrological and meteorological forecasts and the input from representatives of First Nations, Specific Interest Groups, and Resource Advisors concerned with basin management.

Key conditions that were reviewed and discussed at the meeting were:

• Distribution of snowpack and its water content: Snow depths and water content are above normal in the eastern headwaters of the Rainy-Namakan basin and in the upper English River basin. Snowpack is below normal and has decreased over the last week along the Rainy River and south-west of Lake of the Woods.
• Potential for continued winter conditions: Forecasts indicated cold temperatures will persist over the next week and extended winter conditions are possible for the remainder of March. This can increase the risk of rain-on-snow events or early spring rainfall while the ground is still frozen.

Lac Seul

The level of Lac Seul is declining gradually toward the April 15^th target. Based on snowpack conditions, spring inflows are expected to be sufficient to support refill under normal rainfall conditions.  The Secretariat recommends regulation that enables refill of the lake, while balancing the risk of future high water and considering the effects of outflow changes during the spawning season. 

Lake of the Woods

The level of Lake of the Woods is declining gradually toward the March 31^st target. Current conditions indicate that local snowpack runoff to Lake of the Woods may be slightly below normal, with the potential for low or below‑normal inflows from Rainy Lake if normal or below‑normal precipitation occurs. The Secretariat recommends that regulation hedge against the risk for lower-than-normal spring inflow, while balancing the potential for above normal spring rainfall. 

Conditions in the Winnipeg River basin have remained stable over the past week, and this trend is expected to continue based on current forecasts. No major precipitation events are expected in the near future. Forecasted temperatures indicate that daytime highs will rise above freezing in early March.

The current level of Lake of the Woods is 322.44 m (1057.84 ft), a 15^th percentile level, below the normal range for this time of year. The average lake level declined by 1 cm (0.4 in) over the last week and is expected to decrease by 0.5 to 1 cm (0.2 to 0.4 in) over the next week. Lake of the Woods inflow is expected to return to below the 10^th percentile by next week.  To continue slowing the rate of level decline, Lake of the Woods authorized outflow will be reduced to 200 m³/s on Friday, February 27^th. This outflow reduction will cause levels on the Winnipeg River to decline by:

• 5 cm (2 in) below the Norman Dam
• 1.5 cm (0.6 in) at the Dalles
• no change at Minaki

The current level of Lac Seul is 354.93 m (1164.4 ft), a 15^th percentile level, below the normal range for this time of year. The lake level decreased 5.8 cm (2.3 in) over the last week, and is expected to decrease by 5 to 6 cm (2 to 2.4 in) over the next week. Lac Seul authorized outflow is 275 m³/s with no changes scheduled at this time.

Conditions across the Winnipeg River Basin remained dry for most of the past seven days. Forecasts indicate this trend will continue over the coming week, with expected precipitation totals of 5 to 15 mm across most of the basin.

The current level of Lake of the Woods is 322.44 m (1057.88 ft), a 15^th percentile level, below the normal range for this time of year. The average lake level declined by 2.1 cm (0.8 in) over the last week, and is expected to decrease by 1 to 1.5 cm (0.4 to 0.6 in) over the next week. Lake of the Woods authorized outflow will be reduced to 225 m³/s, on Friday, February 20^th to continue slowing the rate of level decline. This outflow reduction will cause levels on the Winnipeg River to decline by:

• 5 cm (2 in) below the Norman Dam
• 1.5 cm (0.6 in) at the Dalles
• no change at Minaki

The current level of Lac Seul is 354.98 m (1164.63 ft), a 15^th percentile level, below the normal range for this time of year. The lake level decreased 8.1 cm (3.2 in) over the last week, and is expected to decrease by 5 to 6.5 cm (2 to 2.6 in) over the next week. Lac Seul authorized outflow is 275 m³/s with no changes scheduled at this time.

Conditions across the basin remained stable over the past week. Forecasts indicate dry conditions on most days and the possibility of above freezing daytime temperatures through the coming week.

The current level of the Lake of the Woods is 322.46 m (1057.95 ft), a 15^th percentile level, below the normal range for this time of year. The average lake level decreased 2.1 cm (0.8 in) over the past week and is expected to remain stable or decrease by 1.6 cm (0.6 in) over the next week. Lake of the Woods authorized outflow is 275 m³/s, with no changes scheduled at this time.

The current level of Lac Seul is 355.07 m (1164.9 ft), a 15^th percentile level, below the normal range for this time of year. The lake level decreased 8.5 cm (3.3 in) over the last week and is expected to decrease by 5.8 to 8 cm (2.3 to 3.1 in) over the next week. Lac Seul authorized outflow will be reduced to 275 m³/s, on Monday, February 16 to continue slowing the rate of level decline.

Conditions across the Winnipeg River basin remained stable this past week. Snow accumulated mainly in the northern and eastern portions of the basin. Over the next seven days, precipitation is expected across the entire basin, with the highest amounts in the English and Rainy-Namakan sub-basins. Lake of the Woods is expected to receive comparatively less.

The current level of the Lake of the Woods is 322.49 m (1058.02 ft), a 15^th percentile level, below the normal range for this time of year. The average lake level decreased 1.7 cm (0.7 in) over the last week and is expected to decrease by 1.2 to 1.8 cm (0.5 to 0.7 in) over the next week. Lake of the Woods authorized outflow is 250 m³/s with no changes scheduled at this time.

The current level of Lac Seul is 355.15 m (1165.19 ft), a 15^th percentile level, below the normal range for this time of year. The lake level decreased 9.2 cm (3.6 in) over the last week and is expected to decrease by 8 to 10 cm (3.1 to 4 in) over the next week. Lac Seul authorized outflow is 325 m³/s with no changes scheduled at this time.

Conditions across the Winnipeg River basin were dry over the past week, and this pattern is expected to continue into next week.

Maps of modelled Snow Water Equivalent (SWE), the amount of water in the snow, indicate there are approximately 20 to 60 mm (0.8 to 2.4 in) of SWE in the snowpack around Lake of the Woods, Rainy River and Rainy and Namakan Lakes, which is below normal for this time of year.

The current level of Lake of the Woods is 322.51 m (1058.08 ft), a 15^th percentile level, below the normal range for this time of year. The average lake level declined by 2.3 cm (0.9 in) over the last week and with a scheduled outflow decrease, is expected to decrease by 0.5 to 1.5 cm (0.2 to 0.6 in) over the next week.

With low inflow to Lake of the Woods for this time of year, a small outflow reduction is scheduled for tomorrow to help slow the rate of level decline on the lake. Lake of the Woods authorized outflow will be reduced to 250 m³/s, on Friday, January 30^th. This outflow reduction will cause levels on the Winnipeg River to decline by:

• 5 cm (2 in) below the Norman Dam
• 2 cm (0.8 in) at the Dalles
• no change at Minaki

The current level of Lac Seul is 355.25 m (1165.5 ft), a 15^th percentile level, below the normal range for this time of year. The lake level declined by 10 cm (4 in) over the last week and is expected to decrease by 7 cm to 9 cm (2.7 to 3.5 in) over the next week. Lac Seul authorized outflow will be reduced to 325 m³/s, on Friday, January 30^th to slow the rate of level decline on the lake.

The current level of the Lake of the Woods is 322.53 m (1058.16 ft) a 20^th percentile level, below the normal range for this time of year. The average lake level decreased 1.9 cm (0.8 in) and is expected to decrease from 1.8 to 2.5 cm (0.7 to 1 in) over the next week. Lake of the Woods authorized outflow is 275 m³/s with no changes scheduled at this time.

The current level of Lac Seul is 355.35 m (1165.8 ft), a 15^th percentile level, below the normal range for this time of year. The lake level decreased 9.2 cm (3.6 in) over the last week and is expected to decrease from 8.5 to 10 cm (3.3 to 4 in) over the next week. Lac Seul authorized outflow is 360 m³/s, and continues to gradually decline with the falling lake level. No outflow changes are scheduled.

The current level of the Lake of the Woods is 322.55 m (1058.2 ft) a 20^th percentile level, below the normal range for this time of year. The average lake level decreased 1.9 cm (0.8 in) and is expected to decrease from 0.5 to 1.5 cm (0.2 to 0.6 in) over the next week. Lake of the Woods authorized outflow is 275 m³/s with no changes scheduled at this time.

The current level of Lac Seul is 355.44 m (1166.1 ft), a 15^th percentile level, below the normal range for this time of year. The lake level decreased 10.1 cm (4 in) over the last week and is expected to decrease from 8.5 to 10 cm (3.3 to 4 in) over the next week. Outflow from Lac Seul has been slowly decreasing as the lake level declines, and this trend is expected to continue in the coming weeks. Current river flows and lake drawdown remain within the expected range. Lac Seul authorized outflow has been adjusted to 360 m³/s. No outflow changes are scheduled.

Conditions across the Winnipeg River basin remained stable over the past two weeks. A few systems moved through the region, resulting in additional snow accumulation, particularly on the northern portion of the basin. Forecasts for the upcoming week indicate mainly dry conditions, with scattered precipitation in some areas.

The current level of the Lake of the Woods is 322.57 m (1058.3 ft) a 20^th percentile level, below the normal range for this time of year. The average lake level decreased 2.4 cm (1 in) and is expected to decrease from 1.5 to 2.5 cm (0.6 to 1 in) over the next week. Lake of the Woods authorized outflow is 275 m³/s with no changes scheduled at this time.

The current level of Lac Seul is 355.54 m (1166.5 ft), a 15^th percentile level, below the normal range for this time of year. The lake level decreased 9.8 cm (3.8 in) over the last week and is expected to decrease from 8.5 to 10 cm (3.3 to 4 in) over the next week. Lac Seul authorized outflow is 370 m³/s with no changes scheduled at this time.

Over the past week, the southern part of the basin received 5 to 15 cm of snow, while the north received 20 to 25 cm. A system is moving through the basin today bringing additional snow. Temperatures warmed up slightly in the south over the past couple of days but are expected to return to cold conditions between today and tomorrow.

The current level of the Lake of the Woods is 322.63 m (1058.5 ft) a 20^th percentile level, below the normal range for this time of year. The average lake level decreased 2.2 cm (0.9 in) and is expected to decrease from 1 to 2 cm (0.4 to 0.8 in) over the next week. Lake of the Woods authorized outflow is 275 m³/s with no changes scheduled at this time.

The current level of Lac Seul is 355.81 m (1167.4 ft), a 20^th percentile level, below the normal range for this time of year. The lake level decreased 9.7 cm (3.8 in) over the last week and is expected to decrease from 7.5 to 9.5 cm (3 to 4 in) over the next week. Lac Seul authorized outflow is 370 m³/s with no changes scheduled at this time.

The Lake of the Woods Control Board and Secretariat wish everyone the best this Holiday Season and a Happy New Year!

Between Christmas and New Years Day the LWCB website will not be updated. The Noticeboard Update will resume on January 8^th.