SASK WATER TO CONTROL WATER FLOW OUT OF LAST MOUNTAIN LAKE

Released on June 3, 1996

Sask Water will be controlling the flow of water out of Last Mountain
Lake to reduce the high water levels on the Qu'Appelle River downstream
of the lake.

The 1996 spring runoff resulted in Last Mountain Lake reaching its
highest level since 1976. The water flowing out of the lake, combined
with water from the Moose Jaw River and Wascana Creek, is keeping the
Qu'Appelle River at a high level downstream of the lake. The river
continues to spill over its banks and flood the agricultural land in
the Qu'Appelle Valley downstream of Craven.

Sask Water has asked the Prairie Farm Rehabilitation Administration
(PFRA), owners of the structure that controls Last Mountain Lake, to
operate the structure to reduce the outflow of water from the lake.
This will allow the Qu'Appelle River below Craven to stay almost within
its banks.

Last Mountain Lake has a normal operating range of between 489.36
metres and 490.27 metres. It is currently at about 490.9 metres, or
0.63 metres above the top of the desired operating range.

Due to the high water levels caused by the runoff, cottage owners can
expect the lake to remain above normal for the majority of the summer.
Controlling the water flow from the lake will not increase the water
level of the lake.

It is expected the lake will return to within its normal range by the
first week of September, three weeks later than if the water were
allowed to flow freely.

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For more information, contact:

Wayne Dybvig
Sask Water
Moose Jaw
Phone: (306) 694-3950