The international watershed boards concept described in The IJC and the 21st Cen- tury report has evolved from the original 1997 vision to the current, more flexible 3 concept of promoting the collective growth of watershed capabilities. [...] The recent high- water and low-water events in the Rainy River watershed and the drought in the St. [...] The most significant long-standing dispute in the watershed concerns the competing interests of small mouth bass fishing and the reintroduction of a native species, the alewife. [...] The Rainy River watershed 21 The Rainy River watershed 22 Challenges and opportunities The Rainy River watershed, including the Rainy and Namakan lakes, forms a mostly rural watershed along the Minnesota–Ontario border, running from the eastern extent of Voyageurs National Park on the U. S. side in the east to the twin cities of International Falls/Fort Frances in the west. [...] In response to these concerns, the IRLBC reviewed the IJC’s Order for the regulation of the level of Rainy Lake and other boundary waters in the Rainy Lake watershed.