Lake Superior expected to drop next month

NEWS RELEASE

THE INTERNATIONAL LAKE SUPERIOR BOARD OF CONTROL

************************** Update on Lake Superior outflow

The International Lake Superior Board of Control, under authority granted to it by the International Joint Commission, has set the Lake Superior outflow to 1,760 cubic meters per second (m3/s) (62.2 thousand cubic feet per second (tcfs)) for the month of February, effective February 1.

This is the outflow recommended by the regulation plan for the month of February and is a decrease from the January outflow, which was 2,020 m3/s (71.3 tcfs).

The February outflow will be released by discharging about 1,654 m3/s (58.4 tcfs) through the three hydropower plants and passing most of the remaining flow through the control structure at the head of the St. Marys rapids.

The gate setting of the control structure will be maintained at the existing setting equivalent to one-half gate open (four gates open 20 cm, or about 8 inches each).

There will be no change to the setting of Gate #1 that supplies the Fishery Remedial Works.

This past month the water supplies to the Lake Superior and Lakes Michigan-Huron basins were below normal.

Lake Superior is currently at its chart datum level.

The level of Lake Superior is expected to fall in February.

Currently, the Lake Superior level is about 10 cm (4 inches) below its long-term average beginning-of- February level, and is 9 cm (4 inches) above the level recorded a year ago.

This past month the level of Lake Superior fell 8 cm (3 inches), while on average it falls 7 cm (3 inches) in January.

The level of Lakes Michigan-Huron fell 4 cm (2 inches) this January, while on average it falls 2 cm (1 inch) during January.

The level of Lakes Michigan-Huron is now about 16 cm (6 inches) below its long-term average beginning-of-February level, and is 15 cm (6 inches) higher than it was a year ago.

Currently Lakes Michigan-Huron is 14 cm (6 inches) above its chart datum level.

The level of Lakes Michigan-Huron is expected to remain stable in February.

The Board continues to monitor conditions both on Lake Superior and downstream and will advise the International Joint Commission accordingly on those conditions.

Major General John W. Peabody, commander, Great Lakes and Ohio River Division, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, is the United States Board Member.

Mr. David Fay is the board member for Canada.

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