Lake Manitoba update: June 11, 2022

Lake Manitoba has now risen ABOVE its operating range (810.5 to 812.5 ft), currently sitting at 812.55 feet this morning. In response to the rising lake level, the province removed stop logs on Wednesday from the Fairford Water Control Structure, increasing outflow at Fairford to 6,569 cfs, up from 4,061 cfs last week. This will help slow the rise in lake level. But inflow to the lake still substantially exceeds even this increased outflow. What would help is a stretch of hot, dry weather to remove water from the lake by evaporation. During the hot weather of July and August, as much or more water leaves the lake by evaporation as leaves through Fairford.

Lake Winnipegosis is little changed from last week, sitting at 831.44 feet, above its long-term average level. That is important because it is the level of Lake Winnipegosis that drives the long-term level of Lake Manitoba via the primary inflow of the Waterhen River. Flow on the Waterhen has risen modestly this week to 4,626 cfs. Flow on the Whitemud River continues to fall, and is currently 1,833 cfs. The level of Lake St. Martin fell this week to 799.20 ft, and the lake remains within its operating range of 797.00 to 800.00 ft. Flow on the Dauphin River is currently 4,626 cfs. The level of the Shellmouth Reservoir rose moderately this week and appears to have peaked, sitting at 1406.73 feet.

The flow on the Assiniboine is falling, to 11,866 cfs at Holland and 9,782 cfs at Headingly. Flow on the Portage Diversion is falling as the Assiniboine flow falls, currently registering 2,055 cfs.

River update

Time: June 11, 2022

Portage Diversion: 2,055 cfs

Assiniboine at Holland: 11,866 cfs

Assiniboine at Headingly: 9,782 cfs

Waterhen: 4,626 cfs

Whitemud: 1,833 cfs

Fairford: 6,569 cfs

Dauphin: 4,626 cfs

Lake update

Time: June 11, 2022

Steep Rock: 812.50 ft

Westbourne: 812.59 ft

Mean level Lake Manitoba: 812.55 ft

Lake Manitoba desired operating range: 810.5 to 812.5 ft

Lake St. Martin: 799.20 ft

Lake St. Martin desired operating range: 797.0 to 800.0 ft

Lake Winnipegosis: 831.44 ft

Shellmouth Reservoir: 1,406.77 ft

Extracted from the Environment and Climate Change Canada Real-time Hydrometric Data web site (https://wateroffice.ec.gc.ca/mainmenu/real_time_data_index_e.html) on June 11, 2022.