Water levels in the lakes and rivers that make up the Muskoka River Watershed are controlled by a series of 42 control dams and spill structures. Of these structures, 11 are associated with power generating facilities, 29 are owned and operated by the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry (MNRF), one is owned by the District of Muskoka and one is owned and operated by the Township. Water levels of the lakes within the Township of Muskoka Lakes are controlled by the dams in Port Carling and Bala.
The levels are managed through manipulation of the stop logs in the dams in order to achieve conditions in accordance with the Muskoka River Watershed Management Plan. The structures are managed in order to achieve power generation, fish habitat, and recreational objectives throughout the watershed. The MNRF is responsible for all operational decisions with respect to the dams. The MNRF attempts to accommodate the additional water from snow melt every spring by drawing down the water levels to provide for the additional volume. It is important to note that there is a limited ability to draw down the lakes and that the dams have a fixed capacity to pass water. The dams are not flood control structures.
The MNRF monitors watershed conditions throughout the Province and issues advisories and warnings as conditions change. For information on watershed conditions, see the Surface Water Monitoring Centre or the new Floodline and Lidar Mapping 2.0 app which contains Hydrographs that show the current water elevation of seven lakes going back to 2006 as it relates to the MRWMP Operating Zones with the Target Operating Level line, Static Flood Elevation line and the Daily Water Level values updated automatically every day.