NYPA Releasing Water at Long Sault Dam

For Immediate Release: 02/25/19

Contact:  Karen White | Karen.white@nypa.gov | (315) 764-6863

Members of the Public Warned to Stay Off Ice in South Channel and Downstream of Dams

MASSENA – The New York Power Authority announced today that the gates at Long Sault Dam are open and releasing water in the St. Lawrence River. This spill will result in rapidly changing river flows and potentially unsafe ice conditions downstream of the dam and along the South Channel of the river over the next several days. Members of the public, including those ice fishing on the river or South Channel, should be alert to rapidly changing ice conditions and should stay off the ice. See flier for a map detailing affected areas.

Members of the public should:

• Use caution on the river.
• Keep back a minimum of 800 ft. from the Long Sault Dam spillway and Robert Moses Power Dam, both on the upstream and downstream side.
• Be aware of changing river conditions and strong currents.
• Stay off the ice in the South Channel

The release of water at Long Sault Dam will assist in maintaining the International Lake Ontario and St. Lawrence River Board’s (ILOSLRB) planned river flow while several turbine generators are out of service for maintenance at the Moses Saunders Power Dam. The spilling will not increase the overall planned river flow.

Outflows from Lake Ontario are established on a weekly basis by the International Lake Ontario and St. Lawrence River Board (ILOSLRB). The Board, in conjunction with its staff, continues to monitor and reassess conditions on an ongoing basis. Information on hydrologic conditions, water levels and outflows are available on the Board’s website and posted to the Board’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/InternationalLakeOntarioStLawrenceRiverBoard (English). For more information on water flows visit: http://ijc.org/en_/islrbc

Actual outflows will depend on conditions in the St. Lawrence River. Spilling activities could take place through the remainder of winter and through the spring.

For more information on how NYPA manages needs for water and power production, please visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=23&v=13K_6oOcZXo

For more information on marine conditions, visit the Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway System website: http://www.greatlakes-seaway.com/en/  

About NYPA:

NYPA is the nation's largest state public power organization, through the operation of its 16 generating facilities and more than 1,400 circuit-miles of transmission lines. NYPA uses no tax money or state credit. It finances its operations through the sale of bonds and revenues earned in large part through sales of electricity. More than 70 percent of the electricity NYPA produces is clean renewable hydropower. For more information visit www.nypa.gov and follow us on Twitter @NYPAenergy, Facebook, Instagram, Tumblr, and LinkedIn.