ROCHESTER, NY (WXXI) - A new report attempts to explain the causes of last year’s flooding along the south shore of Lake Ontario.
After floods in the spring of 2017 hurt businesses and drove families from their homes along the shore of Lake Ontario, many homeowners and business owners and even some public officials blamed a new lake water regulation plan.
The International Lake Ontario - St Lawrence River Board is in charge of carrying out that plan, and it seems they’re still trying to assure the public that it was an act of God, rather than regulation, that led to the devastation of property along the shore.
In a teleconference, Board Member Tony David summarized the latest report explaining what caused last year’s flooding – describing higher than average inflows from Lake Erie, temperature fluctuations in the winter, and record rainfall in the basin.
"Record setting in 2017 was not predicted," he said. "The capability to reliably predict future conditions does not exist and coastal communities should implement resiliency plans to mitigate the risk of future extreme wet or dry conditions."
It is unclear whether this latest report will convince the vocal group of the current regulation plan’s critics.