Public Announcement

August 7, 2002

IJC ends authority to reduce Namakan Lake outflows

On August 6, 2002, the International Joint Commission (IJC) revoked its Supplementary Order of June 28, 2002. The IJC took this action after being informed by its International Rainy Lake Board of Control that the conditions requiring the Supplementary Order no longer existed. The water levels of Rainy and Namakan lakes are now both within their IJC operating bands and continue to decline.

On June 28, 2002, in light of the sharp rise in water levels on Rainy Lake and the Rainy River, the IJC issued a Supplementary Order authorizing the International Rainy Lake Board of Control to direct Boise Cascade Corporation and Abitibi-Consolidated Corporation to limit outflows from Namakan Lake while Rainy Lake remained significantly above its emergency level, taking into account conditions on Namakan Lake and upstream, on Rainy Lake and downstream, and at the powerhouse in International Falls.

The International Joint Commission regulates the levels of Rainy and Namakan Lakes under the 1938 Rainy Lake Convention between Canada and the United States. More information on water levels and flows can be found at: http://www.lwcb.ca/waterflowdata.html.

 

Contacts:
Frank Bevacqua IJC Washington (202) 736-9024	Fabien Lengellé IJC Ottawa (613) 995-0088