Ritchie, Barclay, Oaks Call Upon IJC To Reverse Decision To Lower Outflow

State Senator Patty Ritchie and Assemblymembers Will Barclay and Bob Oaks are calling upon the International Joint Commission (IJC) to continue to release the highest possible amount of outflow, as property owners along Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River continue to recover from this year’s record flood waters.

Letters sent by Senator Ritchie and Assemblymembers Barclay and Oaks to the IJC come as a result of a recent decision by the Commission to lower the outflow of water along swollen waterways.  Officials with the IJC say one of the contributing reasons for lowering the outflow is to maintain safe conditions for commercial shipping and recreational boating downstream. 

During recent workshops sponsored by Senator Ritchie and Assemblyman Barclay that were aimed at helping homeowners apply for funding to assist in the recovery process, numerous residents have raised concerns about the IJC and their response to combating the current water level.  Millions of dollars in damage has been sustained by property owners, business and local communities as a result of this historic flooding.

“I have seen firsthand the damage still occurring from Lake Ontario’s historic high waters.  High winds and summer storms on the lake continue to send waves wreaking havoc on shoreline homes, properties and businesses,” said Senator Ritchie in a letter to the IJC.

“The IJC and the International Board of Control need to recognize that during this unprecedented crisis, our priority must be with the thousands of shoreline property owners who have suffered and continue to suffer from these damaging high water levels.”

“The IJC’s decision to reduce outflow from Lake Ontario will only cause further harm to lakeshore communities,” said Assemblyman Will Barclay. “Since the beginning of April, property owners, businesses and municipalities along the lake have incurred millions in damages.  Communities and residents are trying their best to recover and to decrease outflows at a time when lake levels are still historically high is extremely frustrating.”

“I’ve joined Senator Ritchie and Assemblyman Bob Oaks asking the IJC to reevaluate their recent decision to reduce outflows and requested they hold public sessions in our districts to discuss the overall impact of this year’s water levels in shoreline communities.  We feel that such a meeting could provide valuable information for future mitigation and response so that our communities do not suffer this widespread devastation in the future.”

To view the letters to the IJC sent by Senator Ritchie and Assemblymembers Barclay and Oaks, you may so do by clicking the PDF attachments.