Lake Superior currently 13 inches below average

NEWS RELEASE

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 1,560 cubic meters per second (m3/s) (55.1 thousand cubic feet per second (tcfs)) for the month of June, effective June 3.

This is the outflow recommended by the regulation plan for the month of June and is the same as the May outflow.

The June outflow will be released by discharging about 1,440 m3/s (50.9 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 well below normal.

Lake Superior is currently 12 cm (5 inches) below its chart datum level.

The level of Lake Superior is expected to rise in June.

Currently, the Lake Superior level is about 33 cm (13 inches) below its long-term average beginning-of-June level, and is 20 cm (8 inches) lower than the level recorded a year ago.

This past month the level of Lake Superior rose 2 cm (1 inch), while on average it rises 10 cm (4 inches) in May.

The level of Lakes Michigan-Huron rose 4 cm (2 inches) this May, while on average it rises 8 cm (3 inches) during May.

The level of Lakes Michigan-Huron is now about 38 cm (15 inches) below its long-term average beginning-of-June level, and is 24 cm (9 inches) lower 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 rise in June.

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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