The Lake of the Woods Secretariat says no change to the outflow of Lake of the Woods is anticipated for the next week.
Drier than normal conditions continue to impact the lake’s level.
It dropped 1.5 centimetres over the past week.
As a result, the outflow from the lake is being held at its current rate of 150 cubic metres per second.
The lake saw a slight rise the week prior due to storms that passed through the area.
A sign that summer is over and winter is on its way.
The removal of navigational aids and buoys is underway on the American side of the lake.
Staff at Voyageurs National Park are also removing them from Kabetogama, Namakan and Sand Point Lakes.
The work is expected to take a few weeks.
Boaters are being advised to use caution, especially given that the lake’s level has been lower than normal this year because of drier weather conditions and hazards are easily exposed.
The Lake of the Woods Secretariat says no changes to the flows out of Lake of the Woods are planned after a series of storms that passed through the area this week.
Between 50 and 100 millimetres of rain fell over Lake of the Woods and Rainy Lake areas, helping to bring Lake of the Woods up 3 centimetres.
However, the Secretariat says the dry conditions that have persisted for much of the year are expected to continue.
While the lake level will stabilize, it is still lower than normal for this time of year.
The city says Kearney Lake Beach is closed for the season after municipal staff tested the water quality for bacteria and found a potential bloom of toxic blue-green algae.
Halifax Parks and Recreation says all swimming lessons have been cancelled, and that more testing in the area is underway.
Blue-green algae is found naturally in freshwater in Nova Scotia all the time, and are known as some of the oldest organisms on Earth, according to the municipality.
They say that certain types of this algae can produce toxins called microcystins. These blooms are known to have negative impacts for people and pets, especially in high concentrations. It mainly targets the skin, liver, kidneys, and digestive system.
Children and immune-compromised individuals are at a higher risk.
The city says water users are encouraged to take the following precautions:
The municipality monitors for blue-green algae at certain supervised beaches from July 1 to August 31.
HRM says there is a list of alternative supervised beach locations on the city’s website.