Greece, N.Y. (WHAM) — Memories of spring 2017 and 2019, which saw historic flooding along the Lake Ontario shoreline, are still fresh in Greece Town Supervisor Jeff McCann’s mind.
“We’re right on the verge of hitting flood stages,” McCann said Wednesday.
The flood limit is 247 1/2 feet. McCann said the current level is 247 feet.
“Hope isn’t really a plan, so what we’re actually doing right now is staging resources, pumps,” McCann said. “Our crews are at the ready.”
BACKGROUND: Greece community raises concerns over Lake Ontario water levels | Cleanup continues around homes, businesses affected by Lake Ontario flooding
Cory Gurnett, the town’s public works commissioner, said his team has been ensuring all valves are working along key areas like Edgemere Drive. The valves allow workers to block lake water from backing up into the street. Crews are also clearing out debris and getting 40,000 sandbags ready for residents.
“Preparation is everything,” Gurnett said. “We’ve gone through this twice before. ”
Gurnett advised residents to be proactive with their basements and check their sump pumps.
“If water level gets high along the lakefront and we do have a sump pump failure, we want to make sure other stuff is elevated, whether it’s on racks or a skid of some sort,” he said.
McCann advised residents to inspect all break walls and keep trailered boats, RVs and other vehicles clear of side yards and drainage so town crews can access infrastructure.
Edgemere Drive residents like Barb Bray are having “flash flood backs” to 2017 and 2019, when Edgemere Drive was essentially “Deluge Drive.” She lost her furnace and hot water heater. She’s at least better prepared now.
“The sump pumps automatically come in,” Bray said. “My hot water heater is now up in my upstairs, but my furnace is still down here.”
BACKGROUND: IJC: Lake Ontario water level exceeds 2017 peak | Greece continues to feel impact of flooding
Bray said the crawl space that houses her furnace has since been reinforced.
Neighbor June Boehm said her family fared OK with prior flooding, but not everyone did.
“It was pretty scary,” she said. “I live right down there at the dead end, and a few people lost their homes.”
Boehm said she installed a break wall to help mitigate the flooding but is “extremely worried.”
McCann said there’s a chance levels could go down soon, but the town is not leaving anything to chance.
“If anything should happen, we’ll be in a position to step in and try to mitigate the damage as much as we can.”
