SUDBURY—Water levels in Manitoulin Island’s many inland lakes were at distressingly low levels last fall, prompting concern among many local residents.
Partnership Specialist Derrick Luetchford of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry’s Sudbury office confirmed that the lakes generally monitored by the MNRF had rebounded fairly well over the winter and spring months.
“Mindemoya, Big and Manitou lakes are currently at the top of the summer water levels,” he said in an email response to inquiries by The Expositor on the state of the lakes.
Mr. Luetchford noted that the MNRF had “no predictions for the summer,” but added that the ministry “watches the weather, monitors the levels on a regular basis and manages the operating plan for each dam.”
Last year, the water levels on inland lakes were a concern for residents, particularly those with shoreline residences whose waterlines could be impacted by low water levels over the winter months.
At that time, Brian Riche, Sudbury District resources management supervisor for the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry had noted that “Water levels for Lake Manitou, Mindemoya Lake, Big Lake and Kagawong Lake are close to or below the bottom of recommended winter levels. We have had a past spring, summer and fall on the Island with below average rain fall. We will need significant snow this winter or significant spring rain to bring these lakes back up to for next summer.”
It would appear that hope has come to fruition.
The issue last fall was by no means limited to Manitoulin’s shores, Mr. Riche went on to note last fall that “in MNRF Sudbury district, we manage and track water levels for 16 MNRF operating dams. Of the 13 dams not on the Island, eight of them are near to the bottom of their recommended winter range.”
The winter’s precipitation and spring runoff appears to have provided the current rebound and replenished the Island lakes, but the spectre of the impact of global warming stands threateningly in the wings and fueling concerns for the future.
That being said, management plans for inland lakes are not currently being reviewed or revised.
“There are no plans to review the water levels outlined in the management plans for the above dams,” confirmed Mr. Luetchford. What the future holds remains to be seen.
