Lake Ontario water levels are currently higher than at this time last year, but they are expected to remain in an average zone over the next six months.
The International Lake Ontario-St. Lawrence River Board’s U.S. co-chair Kyle McCune says water levels are within the criteria of Plan 2014, the program designed to control inflows and outflows of Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River.
“The inflows from Lake Erie which make up the largest portion of the total water supplies to Lake Ontario are above average, similar to last year. Based on the current conditions of the Great Lakes water shed as well as the Ottawa River Basin, there is a very low chance of high water impacts on Lake Ontario and the upper St. Lawrence River in 2022, even if wet conditions are experienced in the near future.”
The International Lake Ontario-St. Lawrence River Board’s Bryce Carmichael says there is a possibility of low water levels later this summer.
“There is still uncertainty in the forecast. So there’s no guarantee that we will be reaching those low water levels. Again, it is a little more likely than seeing high water impacts. But the most probable scenario that we’re gonna see over the summer is, is conditions that remain kind of in that normal to average zone.”
If water levels do drop below Plan 2014 criteria by the end of the summer, then the board would have the authority to deviate from the regulation plan.
