Although the level of Lake Memphremagog has dropped 11 centimeters in the past 48 hours, it is still too high for safe navigation. The authorities hope that the situation will calm down by the end of the week.
In a press conference Monday afternoon, Magog Mayor Nathalie Pelletier reiterated the ban on navigating the Magog River due to the high water flow.
City of Magog Emergency Response Coordinator Sylvain Arteau explained the reason for this recommendation.
“The flow is currently 190 cubic meters per second and needs to drop to 60 cubic meters per second to allow safe navigation,” he said.
Dozens of boats lie in the river for days, making it impossible for their owners to set a course on the lake.
The City of Magog does not have the authority to ban navigation on Lake Memphremagog, which is subject to federal jurisdiction, but continues to ask citizens not to sail there for safety reasons.
On the beaches of Lake Memphremagog on the city’s territory, the water level is 1.83 meters and must drop to 1.60 meters for swimming to be allowed.
“The most optimistic forecasts lead us to believe that we could allow navigation towards the end of the week, but everything will depend on the weather. There must be no heavy rain here or in Vermont,” said Mr. Arteau.