Lake levels in northwestern Ontario could peak in coming days, control board says

Many municipalities in northwestern Ontario have been struggling with flooding for weeks, but some good news may be on the horizon.

That is, if the weather cooperates.

"Fortunately, June hasn't been the same as the record precipitation we saw in April and May across the region," said Matt DeWolfe, executive engineer with the Lake of the Woods Control Board, which regulates water levels on Lake of the Woods and Lac Seul.

"We've had occasional large-intensity thunderstorms come through the area, but those are really localized," he said.

The forecast for the next seven to 10 days, DeWolfe said, is mainly hotter, dryer weather, which could mean water levels will peak by the end of June, and then start to recede.

That's good news for municipalities like Kenora, Sioux Lookout, and Fort Frances, which have been struggling with flooding for weeks.

While the board focuses on Lake of the Woods and Lac Seul, DeWolfe said the entire watershed — which is larger than Canada's Maritime provinces — is affected by high water levels and flooding.

For example, Rainy Lake has broken a water-level record set in 1950. And while Lake of the Woods hasn't broken its own record, which was also set in 1950, this year's water levels are the highest they've been since then.

The bad news is, even if water levels do peak by the end of the month, DeWolfe said it will take time for levels to return to normal. Water levels tend to take as long to drop as they did to rise, he said.

"It took about a month to get to the peak levels, and will probably take three to four weeks with good dry weather, and heat and evaporation," DeWolfe said. "I would be surprised if we saw a return to normal lake levels before the end period of July."

One municipality that's been struggling against rising waters is Fort Frances.

"The worst part right directly in Fort Frances is our waterfront," Mayor June Caul said. "It's called Front Street, and I'd say probably three quarters of that entire street is is level with ... the river water."

"It's covered the roads completely," she said. "There are no houses on the south side of that road because the river is right there. But on the north side of the road, we have a lot of sandbags up on people's properties to try to keep the water from getting into their basements."

Caul said the flooded section is completely closed to vehicular and pedestrian traffic.