THUNDER BAY - While water levels remain below record highs recorded last year, the potential for flooding on the shoreline of Lake Superior remains high.
The Lakehead Region Conservation Authority said in a release issued Tuesday that it will continue its flood watch for Lake Superior within its jurisdiction.
The release states water levels on Lake Superior “continue to remain well above average.”
Record high water levels were recorded in 1950, 1952, 1985, and 2019, while record lows were recorded in 1925, 1926, and 2007.
“The beginning of March water level was 4 centimetres below the record high set in 1986, 33 cenitmetres above average (1918-2019) and the same level as last year,” the release reads. “The current water level is approximately 64 cenitmetres lower than the 100-year flood level for Lake Superior.”
According to the LRCA, if the lake experiences average water supply conditions, there will be seasonable decline into March, but water levels on Lake Superior are expected to remain above average for a prolonged period of time.
Ice cover on the lake is also much lower compared to last year, with the lake only experiencing 4.6 per cent ice cover, which is well below the yearly average and much less than the 90 per cent ice cover seen in 2019.
Flood watches are issued whenever there is a potential for flooding. Conditions along the lakeshore will be monitored by staff with the LRCA and the flood watch will remain in effect until water levels go down. For more information visit the Lakehead Region Conservation Authority website.
