The water level of
Shellmouth Reservoir continues to decline slowly. A direct water level taken
by Manitoba Water Stewardship regional staff this morning showed a level of
1410.15 feet. The spillway elevation is at 1408.5 feet and the normal July
level is about 1403.5 feet.
The conduit on Shellmouth
Dam was opened to 200 cfs near noon today, raising the total outflow back to
the downstream bankfull capacity of 1500 cfs. The conduit will be gradually
opened during July to maintain a total outflow of 1300-1500 cfs in order to
lower the reservoir water level.
The Reservoir level is
expected to decline to 1406 feet by the end of July based on average
precipitation.
Overbank flows ended in the
Shellmouth area several days ago. The Assiniboine River is now within its
banks at all points from Shellmouth to Winnipeg.
The record high levels on
Shellmouth Reservoir continue to cause problems for some cottage owners and
campgrounds and other recreational interests on the reservoir.
Reservoir inflows and
levels should continue to decline steadily as there has been little
precipitation this week and dry weather is expected to continue over the long
weekend.
The level of Red Deer Lake
was at 863.58 during the evening of June 29, a decline of one-third of a foot
since Monday. The normal summer level of the Lake is 860.0 feet. The lake
should continue to decline unless heavy precipitation develops.
Aboriginal and Northern
Affairs in Barrows report that all residents at the community of Red Deer Lake
are now back in their homes. Water supplies for some homes will be connected
later today.
The weather forecast calls
for showers and thunderstorms in southwestern Manitoba this evening and in
southeastern Manitoba tonight or overnight. Rainfall amounts could be
substantial. It appears that there will be little rain in the Assiniboine
watershed upstream of Shellmouth Dam and in the Red Deer River basin.
