Manitoba Sustainable Development continues to closely watch the level of Stephenfield Lake this year.

The hot dry summer has drawn down the level of the lake, but it still remains in positive territory, according to the CEO for the Pembina Valley Water Co-op.

Greg Archibald says, in managing the lake, the province allows a certain amount of water to bypass the dam to supply the water plant in Carman and for irrigators and others who have water rights.

He says if the level of the lake gets too close to the historical rule curve, sustainable development will start holding back some of that water.

"It's a historical curve at which the levels of the lake can be allowed to come down to the point at which the reservoir would need to be replenished through the winter and get back to full. If the rule curve gets too low, then the province will actually shut off some of the extra bypass water. So, we have a good mechanism in which we can watch it closely and be able to adjust and reduce some of the flows so that Stephenfield will fill back up."

The lake level is about 4 feet below the spillway right now and the bypass flow into the Boyne River was reduced from 5 cubic feet per second to 1.5 cubic feet per second.

According to Archibald, the lake did drop slightly below the rule curve last month, but a timely rainfall put the body of water back above the curve.

Stephenfield Lake, located west of Carman, serves as one of the main water sources on the Pembina Valley Water Co-op's regional supply network.