▁lake ▁reached ▁ ▁above ▁sea ▁level ▁at ▁Ste ep ▁Rock . ▁ ▁There ▁is ▁however , ▁evidence ▁that ▁the ▁lake ▁exceed ed ▁ ▁above ▁sea ▁level ▁in ▁ 1 8 8 2 ▁due ▁to ▁major ▁flo ods ▁on ▁the ▁Ass in ib o ine ▁River ▁for ▁two ▁consecutive ▁years ▁in ▁ 1 8 8 1 ▁and ▁ 1 8 8 2 ▁causing ▁river ▁water ▁to ▁flow ▁into ▁Lake ▁Man it oba , ▁some ▁of ▁which ▁in ▁turn ▁flow ed ▁out ▁of ▁the ▁lake ▁from ▁the ▁sout heast ▁corner ▁and ▁back ▁into ▁the ▁Ass in ib o ine ▁River . ▁ ▁Due ▁to ▁the ▁top ography ▁of ▁the ▁land ▁to ▁the ▁south ▁of ▁the ▁lake , ▁this ▁could ▁have ▁only ▁happened ▁if ▁the ▁lake ▁had ▁in ▁fact ▁exceed ed ▁ ▁above ▁sea ▁level . ▁ ▁As ▁a ▁result ▁of ▁the ▁record ▁or ▁near - record ▁low ▁precip itation ▁levels ▁combined ▁with ▁above ▁average ▁temper atures ▁for ▁the ▁month ▁of ▁July , ▁the ▁lake ▁pe aked ▁at ▁a ▁calculated ▁wind ▁elimin ated ▁level ▁of ▁ ▁for ▁a ▁period ▁of ▁time ▁in ▁mid ▁to ▁late ▁July . ▁However , ▁according ▁to ▁Government ▁flo od ▁sheets , ▁Lake ▁Man it oba ▁pe aked ▁at ▁ ▁at ▁the ▁West bourne ▁gauge ▁and ▁ ▁at ▁the ▁less ▁variable ▁Ste ep ▁Rock ▁gauge ▁respectively . ▁ ▁The ▁flo oding ▁led ▁to ▁serious ▁problems ▁to ▁c ott agers ▁who ▁had ▁already ▁tried ▁to ▁prevent ▁er os ion ▁and ▁property ▁damage ▁through ▁such ▁methods ▁as ▁retain ing ▁walls , ▁natural ▁veget ation