The Town of Greece is taking precautionary steps in response to the rising Lake Ontario water levels according to Jeff McCann, Greece town supervisor.
In 2017 and 2019, the lake’s water levels hit a record high — inundating the Town’s shoreline areas. According to reports by the International Joint Commission (IJC), a steeper-than-average rise occurred through the month of April. On April 29, the reading hovered around 246.8 ft, which is a few inches below Plan 2014’s “F-Limit” trigger of 247.05 ft.
IJC’s Plan 2014 relies on a series of water level limits to manage the intersection between Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River, balancing flood risks upstream and downstream of the Moses Saunders Dam.
Before outflows from Lake Ontario can be increased, the F-Limit of 247.05 ft needs to be reached — meaning that waterfront residents should expect a few more inches of water before IJC acts. The water’s height will depend on the upcoming weather. Given the current water level, strong wind from northeast can cause waves to overtop some break walls.
Due to a wet spring and saturated grounds, levels can quickly change so the town is taking steps in preparation.
To help combat this issue, the Department of Public Works will begin staging trailer-mounted pumps near bypass valves installed in the storm sewer system. Installed due to flooding in 2019, the valves make pumping operations more efficient by allowing town workers to block lake water from backing up into the street.
To help prevent flooding, the town is prepared 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.”
Residents living within a half mile of the shoreline are advised to do the following to help protect their homes:
For more information on Lake Ontario water levels, visit the International Lake Ontario-St. Lawrence River Board’s website.
— As a Rochester native, Justice Marbury entered the world of journalism to create work where voices like hers were heard — the voices of minority communities. Marbury covers small businesses, neighborhood concerns, and the interesting people who live in Rochester’s 19th Ward. As the 19th Ward reporter, she has helped implement community outreach ideas by asking what people in various communities want to read about themselves in addition to regular news. Contact her on Instagram @justice_marbury and by email at jmarbury@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Greece readies shoreline defenses as lake levels climb
Reporting by Justice Marbury, Rochester Democrat and Chronicle / Rochester Democrat and Chronicle
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