Flood warnings for Hamilton from continuing rainfall
Hamilton Spectator
By Carmela Fragomeni and Matthew Van Dongen
May 25, 2017
Heavy rain flooded some city streets and closed sports fields Thursday while storm-whipped Lake Ontario waves spurred the city to block access to the Burlington piers.
Environment Canada warned of possible street flooding in Hamilton as a result of heavy rains that followed 10-20 mm that fell on the city overnight. That special weather statement ended Thursday afternoon, but a steady drizzle continued.
Sections of King Street and Olympia Drive in Dundas saw some flooding, while low-lying residential side streets on the beach strip were once more underwater.
The city continues to use pumper trucks to vacuum up the excess water from those east end streets. That $130,000 effort started in late April following a record-breaking storm and has continued regularly over the last month, mostly because of high lake levels.
Ward 5 Coun. Chad Collins said the city has also decided to block access to the federally owned piers that stretch out into Lake Ontario near the lift bridge because wind-whipped waves are submerging the concrete walkway.
"We've had calls from concerned residents who see people walking there … the waves are literally washing over the piers, particularly when a ship makes it way through."
The piers, a popular place for people to walk and view the lake, are owned by Transport Canada, but the waterfront trail owned by the cities of Burlington and Hamilton connect to the long concrete structures.
Collins said he has contacted Transport Canada about blocking pier access, but in the meantime the city will fence off the portion of city-managed trail leading up to the area.
Large swaths of the waterfront trail along the harbour are drowned and remain off-limits to the public, with repair estimates for erosion between $700,000 and $1 million.
As a result, the Hamilton Waterfront Trust trolley service will only run between Pier 8 and Bayfront Park this weekend — and likely well into June, said agency head Werner Plessl.
Normally, the popular trolley runs all the way to Princess Point.
The trolley will continue to circle around Pier 8 to the HMCS Haida, despite record-high lake levels that have left the water less than a foot from the top of that section of pier. "As long as the water is not overtopping the trail, we're fine to continue," he said.
The city closed all outdoor sports fields Thursday because of soggy conditions, but a decision about the weekend has not been made yet, said Graham.
While city-owned beaches have not been officially closed, "there's not much beach to see" in either the harbour or along Lake Ontario because of high lake levels, Graham noted. "We are generally asking residents to be careful around the water in these conditions."
The Hamilton Conservation Authority has issued a flood watch, saying that with the already elevated water levels in Lake Ontario, plus forecasted winds, are causing an increased risk of shoreline flooding and erosion.
Northeasterly winds of 25 km/h with wind gusts up to 40 km/h are expected.
The Authority is cautioning residents to be aware of possible hazards posed by the rain and winds along the lakeshore.
The significant amount of rain received in April and earlier this month has already created elevated water levels in lakes and waterways — with Lake Ontario at its highest levels since 1918.
The Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority said its area is forecasted to receive 25 to 35 mm of rain through to Friday. It warns of increased risk of backshore flooding, shoreline flooding and erosion from storm surge and increased wave action.
Residents living along Lake Ontario are urged to use caution near the lakefront.
cfragomeni@thespec.com
905-526-3392 | @CarmatTheSpec
Carmela Fragomeni is a reporter with the Hamilton Spectator. Email:
cfragomeni@thespec.com. Twitter: @CarmatTheSpec.
Matthew Van Dongen is the city hall reporter for the Hamilton Spectator. Email:
mvandongen@thespec.com. Twitter: [MENTION=650]matt[/MENTION]atthespec.
http://www.thespec.com/news-story/7333922-flood-warnings-for-hamilton-from-continuing-rainfall/