Rainy Lake continues to rise in elevation as inflows outplace the outflow.
Lakes and rivers in the watershed are slowly declining in their outflows into Rainy Lake as well as Namakan and Kabetogama lakes appear to have crested, according to a release from Koochiching County officials Saturday.
The weather system affecting the basin continues to be somewhat unstable, the release continued, with small bands of showers and thunderstorms. The weather instability coupled with the inflows into Rainy Lake make it very challenging to predict the level the lake will crest in elevation and on what day that might occur, officials said.
Area officials continue to monitor the situation hour to hour and have taken steps to protect homes and businesses on the lake with support from area citizens and members of the Minnesota National Guard, who are spending the weekend in the area assisting with sandbagging and other efforts.
Officials said the good news is that the Rainy River continues to recede with help from the Littlefork and Bigfork rivers, as they are both dropping in elevation.
