Kingsmere Lake Level Info

The water levels are currently consistent with what they were
prior to the dam removal in 1999. In addition, there is evidence of fish
spawning in the Kingsmere river, something that we expect will continue
when the river flows.

In early September 1999 (when the Kingsmere River dam was removed), the Kingsmere Lake water level was approximately 538.6 m above sea level (ASL) (not flowing overtop of the stoplog). It increased to a post-dam-removal peak of 538.9 in the summer of 2000, then declined to a post-dam-removal low of 538.3 this spring. The water level in early September 2004 was 538.6 m ASL. To put this in Imperial: since the dam was removed, the level of Kingsmere Lake increased by a foot, decreased by two feet, then
increased by a foot again leaving the water level in early September 2004
right where it was when the dam was removed in September 1999.

For comparative purposes, the water level at Waskesiu Lake in September
1999 was 531.9 m ASL. It increased to a post 1999 maximum of 532.2 in 2000 and decreased to a minimum of 531.4 in the spring of 2004. It then
increased to its current level of almost 531.9 m ASL. Thus both Kingsmere
and Waskesiu Lakes are currently within a few cm of their respective levels in early September 1999. Crean shows a similar pattern of ups and downs, but is currently at least 0.1 m (~ 5 inches) below its level in September 1999.

After the Kingsmere dam was removed, there was evidence of spawning walleye, pike and suckers in the river in 2000 and 2001. The drought from 2001 through to early 2004 did not enable enough flow to support spawning. In June 2004 when water started running in the Kingsmere River, both white and long nose suckers were found spawning.