The Churchill River system is seeing water levels drop in the west, but levels are high and approaching peaks downstream in northern Manitoba.
Water levels could soon see a decrease along the river system, thanks to a change in Saskatchewan. Outflow from the Whitesand Dam, located on the Reindeer River that drains into the Churchill River, has been reduced by 300 cubic metres per second as of August 21. The change will help lower water levels across the system through northern Manitoba and Saskatchewan into September.
Even with the change at Whitesand, the Saskatchewan Water Security Agency (WSA) is expecting water levels along the river to remain high throughout the summer into the fall and possibly winter.
“Flows and levels in the Lower Churchill River, including Reindeer River and Churchill River near Sandy Bay, have exceeded previous historical highs,” reads an August 21 statement from the WSA.
At Sandy Bay, water level has dropped dramatically from when the Churchill River was at its peak early this month, going from a peak at around 10.15 metres August 4 to around 9.5 metres August 24. Discharge levels of the river are also dropping at Sandy Bay, going from 2,390 cubic metres per second at the peak to 2,170 cubic metres per second August 24. Levels are now down below the river’s previous record high, recorded back in 2005.
Water levels at Pukatawagan are staying constant around 276.6 metres after seeing a peak around 276.85 earlier this month. Levels are beginning to drop at the community, according to hydrological data from Natural Resources Canada. Even though the levels are dropping, water at Pukatawagan is still much higher than the normal levels seen in the community - at its peak, almost a full metre and a half higher.
Meanwhile, water levels at Granville Lake and Leaf Rapids are still trending upward and have not yet peaked. At Granville Lake, the lake is sitting at just under 263.7 metres, almost three metres higher than last year’s level and counting according to Natural Resources Canada data.
While Granville Lake itself is still rising, the Churchill River north of Granville Lake is starting to decline slightly, hitting a peak of 247.6 metres August 15 and dropping down half a metre as of August 24. The river’s discharge level is also decreasing, going from 2,440 cubic metres per second August 15 to 2,410 cubic metres per second August 24.
Things are different in Leaf Rapids, where the river is still rising slowly but close to a possible peak. The river’s water level has stayed pat around 262.7 metres since August 23, but has increased to 262.8 as of August 24. The discharge of the river was marked at 2,590 cubic metres per second August 23 and stayed more or less pat a day later.
