Plan 2014 (High Lake Levels)

Opie

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#1
Hi all, I searched for any past threads on the topic " PLAN 2014" but didn't come up with any hits. I have pasted the link below for all to read

http://www.ijc.org/en_/Plan2014/Summary

I too, was curious regarding the higher lake level and reading the Spec on line about same. Made me dig a bit, funny thing is, it wasn't hard to see various current topics about it. Guess the Spec didn't bother to look harder for answers. Anyways, PLAN 2014 in a nut shell is a joint program between Canada and the USA, to regulate the water levels in Lake Ontario and the St Lawrence. It would seem that we will see higher water levels more often, already this week communities along the south shore of lake Ontario in NY state, are witnessing some minor flooding. Which brings me to start thinking about our nice beach and what an extra 12 to possibly 24 inches higher lake water will do to our beach and erosion? Yesterday's storm was tame compared to earlier ones this year with the wind yet the waves were coming up much higher. Wondering if anyone else noticed and what your thoughts are especially when we get a strong Eastern gale wind?

Opie
 

scotto

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#2
There are few sections along the beach where erosion is taking away the sand and leaving three foot drops on the beach. One section near Dexter Ave. has been hit harder than the rest and the City has tried a couple solutions to keep the sand there with no real results. This one spot has been a problem for a least a couple of years.

Here are some up to date stats on the lakes from United States Army Corps of Engineers;

Over the last month, water levels have risen on all of the lakes. Lake Superior has risen 2 inches, Lakes Michigan-Huron and Erie have both risen 7 inches, Lake St. Clair has risen 8 inches, and Lake Ontario has risen 15 inches. In the next month, all of the lakes are expected to continue their seasonal rise. Lakes Superior and Michigan-Huron are both expected to rise 3 inches in the next month. Lakes St. Clair, Erie, and Ontario are expected to rise 2, 1, and 6 inches, respectively. See our Daily Levels web page for more water level information.

Read more;
http://www.lre.usace.army.mil/Missi...vel-Forecast/Weekly-Great-Lakes-Water-Levels/
http://www.lre.usace.army.mil/Missi.../Great-Lakes-Water-Levels/Current-Conditions/

Near Dexter Ave on the beach (April 1st);
 

scotto

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#3
Water levels up on Great Lakes

From today's Welland Tribune

Water levels are higher than average on all of the Great Lakes right now, says the manager of Great Lakes – St. Lawrence Regulation Office of Environment and Climate Change Canada.

“We just reached a condition this week where people would consider that we’re above the flood stage on Lake Ontario under calm conditions,” he says.

Caldwell says while different stakeholders like average, low or high water levels, the people most impacted by high levels right now are those along the shorelines.

Lake Erie and Lake Ontario shoreline property owners can expect to see an increase in erosion and storm damage when the conditions are right, says Caldwell.
Read whole article;
http://www.wellandtribune.ca/2017/04/21/water-levels-up-on-great-lakes

A new house on Clare Ave pumping 24hrs a day to keep up with the high lake levels;




A new dig in the 200's filled with water;

 

scotto

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#5
still curious what Hamilton Conservation A., will do to help protect the shoreline. time will tell I guess
About the only thing I could see done is add rock piers out into the lake like they did with the beach near Confederation Park or just let nature run it's course. The water level has been higher with homes floating away and crews sandbagging, we are still here though.

A picture from last Feburary
 

Opie

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#8
Early yesterday morning, I walked out to view the surf hitting the grass area behind our home and amazed how high up it was. 12 hours later we went back out to take a look and figured we lost about 2 to 3 feet of grass shoreline due to the erosion. It was too dark when I left for work this morning to see how much more was lost. Only good thing I can hope for was the rolling surf had diminished in size overnight, so hopefully not much more was lost.
 

Opie

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#9
its not the greatest photo, but its one I took yesterday of the pier, which for the most part was under an 1 to 2 depending on the waves crashing over it or from the back wash swells going down the channel
IMG_20170430_1403392 (3).jpg
 

scotto

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#13
Heavy rains batter Hamilton’s waterfront, flood basements

Posted with permission from the Hamilton Spectator.
_______________________________________________
The city closed large swaths of the Waterfront Trail, but that didn’t stop residents from snapping photos of drowned benches, light standards and accumulated debris.

Hamilton Spectator
By Matthew Van Dongen


Rising lake levels and strong winds are making a soupy, dangerous mess of Hamilton's waterfront — and a growing number of flooded basements on the Beach Strip.

The Hamilton Conservation Authority issued a safety reminder about flooding Monday and the city closed large swaths of a flooded Waterfront Trail — although that didn't stop residents from snapping photos of drowned benches, light standards and accumulated debris.
The surging lake also poses a threat to the low-lying Beach Strip, where about a dozen homeowners have reported flooding to Ward 5 Coun. Chad Collins.

"The last time it was this bad for us was in the '70s. We've been pumping water out and out non-stop for a week," said Margaret Elliott, 80, who has lived in her Bayside Avenue home on the strip since 1966.

Elliott said her basement flooded after her sump pump burned out. Her son came over in time with a replacement to save the furnace, but not the hot water heater. "It's quite a mess. Half the street is underwater … hoses running every which way with people trying to get rid of the water."

Water levels in Lake Ontario have risen by about 40 centimetres since the beginning of April and are among the highest recorded at this time since the early 1990s, according to the International Joint Commission.

Compounding matters were strong winds that pushed wave "surges" onto the shoreline, contributing to erosion and depositing "extraordinary" amounts of debris that city workers were still cleaning up Monday, said public works head Dan McKinnon.

That includes another flood of flushed health products — including used tampons and even some needles — that tend to build up in the harbour as a result of sewage plant and storm sewer overflows.

For example, the maxed out plant was forced to allow untreated or partially treated sewage flow into Red Hill Creek — and ultimately the harbour — for several hours April 19 when parts of the city were hit with the equivalent of a month of rain. (The city has labelled that storm a "disaster" to allow residents to apply for compassionate grants.)

The city is cleaning up, but storm-surge erosion could delay reopening of parts of the Waterfront Trail even after the mess is gone. City staff has also been responding to flooding complaints along the beach strip — but there's not much they can offer, other than "education" about the strip's history of flooding, said Collins.

"People who have lived their lives here know what can happen but if you just moved in, it's probably a bit of a shock," said Collins, noting historical flooding in the 1970s spurred infrastructure and regulatory changes along the Beach Boulevard community.

Although the city has installed new pumping stations and changed building rules to ban full basements in new beach strip housing, Collins said even in a "normal" year he still receives regular calls about spring flooding.

"It (the flooding) is not unexpected, but this year is unusual because of the high levels. The numbers could get worse if the water levels keep rising," he said.

Under a new water management plan, the binational board of control that oversees the Great Lakes recently cut flows out of Lake Ontario to prevent potentially "extensive" flood damage downstream in the St. Lawrence.

But a post on the International Joint Commission website says the high water levels in the lakes are a "direct result" of high rain amounts in April in the Great Lakes basin, not the new management plan. It says even under the old management plan, lake levels would have been similarly high this spring.



mvandongen@thespec.com

905-526-3241 | [MENTION=650]matt[/MENTION]atthespec
http://www.thespec.com/news-story/7271902-heavy-rains-batter-hamilton-s-waterfront-flood-basements/

http://www.thespec.com/news-story/7273899-flooded-beach-strip-residents-brace-for-more-rain/
 

Opie

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#15
Surveying the shoreline behind us, I estimate we lost about 4 feet of grass and sand. Not looking forward to the damage the next storm this week will do. Environment Canada's weather statement tell us to expect gusty winds from the North East, that should push the water higher up this time.
 

scotto

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#16
Surveying the shoreline behind us, I estimate we lost about 4 feet of grass and sand. Not looking forward to the damage the next storm this week will do. Environment Canada's weather statement tell us to expect gusty winds from the North East, that should push the water higher up this time.
I was at a meeting last night with Trees Please Hamilton and their plan was to plant grass along the shore near Dexter Ave in the near future. They were informed that there likely isn't anywhere left to plant due to the erosion.

I checked the shoreline near Dexter Ave today and it has gotten much worse.

April 1st photo from above;


From today (May 3rd), I assume the City has added the boulders and repaired the fence in order to keep what little bit of shoreline that we have left. I don't recall the wooden walkway being there, but it has been damaged as well.



Same location, opposite direction;
 

Opie

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#17
Last night we rode our bikes along the path to the pavilion, amazing how high up the water came in certain spots. Stopped by the Dexter Street entrance where you took your photo's Scott and WOW, maybe 8' approx. left of the sand berm, then the pathway is next. Hamilton Conservation will need a few more rocks then they have now to ease the erosion.
 

scotto

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#18
It seems the vegetation is saving some of the beach sections, too bad Hydro 1 removed a deal of it last year as it could of helped to save more. More rain coming and there is an article at the CBC stating that Toronto Island may have to be evacuated.
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/toronto-island-evacuation-rain-flood-1.4098763

More from the Spec;
http://www.thespec.com/news-story/7...-with-road-closures-sewage-bypasses-sandbags/

The City sandbagged many of the manhole covers on the side streets today.
 

Opie

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#19
Looking out the window and watching the wave action for the last few hours.
It looks to be calming down from earlier, who knows maybe the weather people called it wrong ??? Will see what the morning brings us.
 

scotto

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#20
Looking out the window and watching the wave action for the last few hours.
It looks to be calming down from earlier, who knows maybe the weather people called it wrong ??? Will see what the morning brings us.
It seems to have calmed down but I have heard wind warnings on the marine radio this morning.
I see the City is taking this water level very seriously, last night crews were pumping water from Bayside Ave and the Blvd down to the lake.

From the Spec;

Relatively few basement floods — fewer than 10 as of midday — were reported to the city Friday. An April 20 storm, by comparison, dumped a month's worth of rain on parts of Hamilton in a matter of hours and prompted more than 100 residents to ask the city for compassionate grants to deal with wet basements.

The comparison is cold comfort for Jim Lorentz and his neighbours on the Beach Strip, which saw the worst local flooding Friday — and through most of last week — thanks in part to Lake Ontario levels that are higher than any seen since the early 1990s.

"I have five pumps working in the basement now," said a frustrated Lorentz, staring at a small lake of water covering the dead-end side of Bayside Avenue.

"It doesn't matter; the water just keeps coming. I've lost the furnace, the water heater, an antique bed. There's no stopping it."

Sucker trucks could be seen clearing out sewers at the end of at least five Beach Strip side streets Friday, but dozens of homeowners have, nonetheless, reported wet crawl spaces and basements.

Lorentz noted his home is only a few years old and was built under new city rules meant to keep crawl spaces and first floors above historical flood levels on the strip. He wondered whether those standards should be changed, "or whether they're being enforced."

http://www.thespec.com/news-story/7...-access-as-steady-downpour-drenches-hamilton/

More from the CBC;
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/hamilton/daystarter-weather-thursday-1.4100772
http://www.cbc.ca/news/rainfall-flood-lake-ontario-waves-1.4102502

 
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