OLCOTT, N.Y. -- After the rising waters of Lake Ontario led to a State of Emergency being declared this week, crews of volunteers in Olcott took a major step to mitigate the issue Saturday.
Dozens of volunteers from about 14 fire companies gathered all day to deploy sandbags along the Lake Ontario shoreline at the Olcott Yacht Club.
"We are keeping an eye on the weather and the winds especially, because that really has an impact on how the water is coming in and affecting these communities," said Jonathan Schultz, Director of Emergency Services for Niagara County.
He explained there are a lot of residences and business in low-lying areas of Olcott and in Wilson that are especially impacted by flooding when there are Northeastern winds.
However, Schultz also said that the weather is only part of the cause of the high lake levels. Officials said Friday water levels were between 12 inches and 19 inches above normal, and won't likely drop until mid-May.
Plan 2014, an agreement that controls how much water is let out of the lake through the Saint Lawrence Seaway, is also contributing to the flooding issues in the county, Schultz said. The plan was created by the international body that oversees Lake Ontario water levels, the Intentional Joint Commission.
While all of the Great Lakes are draining into Lake Ontario, the new plan does not allow as much water to be drained from the lake as in the past, Schultz said.
Assemblyman Michael Norris was at the community sandbag distributing event Saturday, and said he encourages any property owner who experiences damage from the high lake level to document it, as his office is working to secure money from the state and federal government to help pay for the damage.
"If individuals out there suffer any damage, make sure you have the proper documentation, because if we do receive state or federal funding, that documentation will be required," he said.
