Lakeshore residents advised to take steps to protect their homes
Greece Town Supervisor Jeff McCann says the Town is taking precautionary steps in response to rising Lake Ontario water levels, which hit record highs in 2017 and 2019, inundating the Town’s shoreline areas. Reports from the International Joint Commission (IJC) indicate a steeper-than-average rise through the month of April, with the April 27 reading hovering around 246.8’, just a few inches below Plan 2014’s “F-Limit” trigger of 247.05’.
The Department of Public Works is staging trailer-mounted pumps near bypass valves that were installed in the storm sewer system in the wake of flooding in 2019. The valves allow town workers to block lake water from backing up into the street while making pumping operations much more efficient. Preparations are also being made to provide sandbags to residents should the need arise.
“We’re closely monitoring the weather and reports from IJC, and at the same time taking steps to be prepared before it’s a problem,” said Supervisor McCann, adding, “There’s still a chance that things will turn around, but we’re not going to leave it to chance. If things change, we’ll already have resources in place and crews at the ready to spring into action.”
McCann also advised residents living within a half mile of the shoreline to consider the following steps to protect their homes:
- Ensure that sump pumps are in proper working order and discharge clear of building foundations.
- Elevate or relocate belongings stored in basements and crawl spaces.
- Clear shoreline areas of docks, hoists, fencing, and other obstructions in case sandbagging becomes necessary.
- Inspect break walls and shoreline protection structures.
- Keep trailered boats, RVs, and other vehicles clear of side yards and drainage structures (catch basins, outfall pipes, etc.) so town crews have easy access to infrastructure.
IJC’s Plan 2014 relies on a series of water level limits to manage the complex interaction between Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River, balancing flood risk upstream and downstream of the Moses Saunders Dam. The F-Limit (247.05’) needs to be reached before outflows from Lake Ontario can be increased, meaning that waterfront residents should expect a few more inches of water before the IJC acts. How high the water gets will depend a lot on the weather. With an already wet spring and saturated ground, things could change quickly, so the Town is taking its own steps to be prepared. Even with the water at its current level, a strong wind out of the northeast could cause waves to overtop some break walls.
For more information on Lake Ontario water levels, visit the International Lake Ontario-St. Lawrence River Board’s website at https://ijc.org/en/loslrb/watershed/water-levels.
May 2017 flooding along Edgemere Drive in Greece. Photo by Karen Fien
