Local officials meet in Kendall with IJC leader

Posted 5 September 2019 at 3:29 pm

Provided photo: Lures part owner Anna Migitskiy, center, discusses the challenges to the Eagle Creek Marina and Lures Restaurant from the high lake levels. She attended last Thursday’s meeting at Lures with IJC U.S. Section Chairwoman Jane Corwin and many local elected officials.

Press Release, Orleans County Legislator Ken DeRoller

KENDALL – Nineteen elected officials from municipalities in Orleans County hosted a dinner meeting on Aug. 29 at Lures Restaurant with Jane Corwin, U.S. Section chairwoman for the International Joint Commission.

Corwin, a former state assemblywoman from Clarence, presented a high level, very informative overview on three main points in managing Lake Ontario water levels.

She discussed the some of the history since 1909 International Treaty between the U.S. and Canada; 100 Year Lake Levels and evolution of plans to manage outflows; and Plan 2014 performance pros and cons, as well as trigger levels with the Great Lake basin high levels of runoff.

Since Plan 2014 was implemented in December 2016, 80 percent of the time we have been outside the plan’s design due to high precipitations, snow melt and ice jams.

Corwin assured us that everything possible will be done to try and manage these new norms of high water levels. In terms of review of Plan 2014, for example: The Adaptive Management committee will be looking at potential impacts of affecting the current navigation limits, lowering trigger levels in general and modifying outflows during the spring and fall.

Also, Anna Migitskiy, part owner of Eagle Creek Marina and Lures Restaurant, gave everyone in attendance an overview of the challenges their business has faced fighting high lake levels in 2017 and again in 2019. This has caused additional expenses in managing their business.

All those in attendance committed to continued and improved communications to the International Lake Ontario/St. Lawrence River Board, and advisors to the Great Lakes Adaptive Management committee study, plus input from riparian interest.

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