Nibi Metrics
Real-time water levels, forecasts, and alerts for lakes and rivers across Canada and the US. Built on official government data.
Nibi Metrics turns raw gauge readings from official hydrometric networks into something a person standing on a dock can actually use: is the water high or low for today, which way is it moving, and how unusual is this? This page explains where every number on the platform comes from and what we do to it along the way.
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Namakan Lake Water Level
Live lake level, flow, historical records and forecast for Namakan Lake in Rainy River, ON, Canada, built from official government gauge data.
- Location Rainy River, ON, Canada
- Watershed upper rainy
- Primary gauge 05PA013 (Water Survey of Canada)
About Namakan Lake
Namakan Lake - A vital waterway in the Rainy River region.
Namakan Lake is a significant water body in Ontario’s Rainy River region, offering a critical habitat and connecting the ecosystems within the Upper Rainy watershed. With an expansive catchment area of approximately 19,020 square kilometres draining into the lake, it plays an essential role in the local hydrology and ecology.
The watershed context
As a central feature of the Upper Rainy watershed, Namakan Lake is adjacent to Lac la Croix, enhancing its ecological diversity and offering recreational opportunities. The lake is a key component of the broader hydrological network, which experiences a unique seasonal rhythm driven mainly by snowmelt. Typically, the spring freshet occurs from late April to May, recharging the lake and sustaining its water levels. During the summer months, from July to September, natural drawdown occurs as evaporation takes effect and inflows decrease. In early winter, water levels decline further as ice begins to form, marking the onset of a new seasonal cycle.
Why the data matters here
Monitoring the water levels of Namakan Lake provides valuable insights into the health of the ecosystem and the dynamics of the surrounding watershed. Current readings published by the Water Survey of Canada can be compared against historical data to assess trends in water levels and overall environmental conditions. Today’s measurement, assessed against the median for this calendar day over the past 18 years, helps gauge the state of the lake relative to its historical averages, allowing for better understanding of seasonal changes and assisting local stakeholders in resource management.
How this page is built
Readings come from official government gauges and are rolled into daily records: the daily mean, high and low for every day on record. Each calendar day gets its own baseline from the full history, so the level you see is compared against what this specific date usually looks like rather than an annual average.
How Nibi Metrics works · Water stories
