LAKE SUPERIOR OUTFLOW CONDITIONS

["David Fay" <david_fay@pch.gc.ca>]

                                   INTERNATIONAL
                            LAKE SUPERIOR BOARD OF CONTROL
     
     
                                                            3 February 1997
     
     FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
     
     
                           LAKE SUPERIOR OUTFLOW CONDITIONS 
     
     The International Lake Superior Board of Control, under authority 
     granted to it by the International Joint Commission, has set the Lake 
     Superior outflow to 2380 cubic metres per second (m3/s) for the month 
     of February.  This is the outflow recommended by the regulation plan 
     for the month of February and is about the same as the January flow. 
     
     This flow will be released by discharging about 2214 m3/s through the 
     three hydropower plants and passing most of the remaining flow through 
     the control structure at the head of the St Marys Rapids.  The winter 
     gate setting at the control structure is the equivalent of 1/2 gate 
     open in the main St Marys Rapids plus gate #1 set at 1/2 open to 
     maintain a relatively high flow and level in the Fishery Remedial 
     channel. 
     
     During January, the water supplies to Lakes Superior and 
     Michigan-Huron were well above average.   Currently, Lake Superior is 
     25 centimetres (cm) above its long-term average beginning of February 
     level and about 23 cm above the level recorded last year.  The level 
     of Lakes Michigan-Huron is about 47 cm above its long-term average 
     level and about 40 cm above the level of a year ago.  The Board will 
     continue to monitor conditions on Lake Superior and downstream and 
     will advise the International Joint Commission accordingly.
     
     Mr. Doug Cuthbert, Environment Canada, Burlington, Ontario is the 
     Board Member for Canada.  Colonel James Van Epps, Commander, North 
     Central Division, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, is the Board Member 
     for the United States.
     
     Additional information can be obtained from Mr. Peter Yee, Great Lakes 
     St.Lawrence Regulation Office, Environment Canada, Cornwall at (613) 
     938-5725 or by e-mail at Peter_Yee@pch.gc.ca. or from Mr. David 
     Schweiger, Great Lakes Hydraulics and Hydrology Branch,  Detroit 
     District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, at (313) 226-6440 or by e-mail 
     at david.l.schweiger@usace.army.mil