Windsor in flood 'monitoring' stage, not emergency stage, says engineer

Sandbags are just the latest strategy Windsor has used to fight high water levels and flooding.

City engineer Mark Winterton said during the last flooding problems, the city installed berms.

"Back in the 70s and 80s when we had high water levels before, we built berms in the areas more susceptible to flooding," said Winterton.

This time around, the flooding is caused not specifically by a significant rain event like in 2016 and 2017, but by rising lake levels.

"We're more vulnerable when the wind comes out of the north like it is today," said Winterton.

Lakeshore ran out of bags to put the sand into last week, but there was no shortage in the city of Windsor. Winterton said the demand has been "steady" but not overwhelming.

"The area that fronts Lake St. Clair, as well as anyone along the river on the eastern part of the city," are affected, said Winterton."That's something that is of major concern to us and will be for the rest of the summer."

Amherstburg, Leamington and Essex have also set up sandbag stations for their residents.

In addition to berms installed in the water decades ago, the Ganatchio Trail also functions as what Winterton called a "defacto berm."

The city of Windsor worked with the Essex Region Conservation Authority when constructing the Ganatchio Trail to create it as a barrier landform. The Little River dikes are also barrier landforms, which are meant to protect low-lying areas from high water levels.

"We haven't done a great job of monitoring [the trail]," said Winterton."There are gaps in older sections in Riverside."

Winterton said the city is aware of where the gaps are roads and driveways cutting across the trail and that there are sandbags and clay ready to go if those gaps need to be barricaded.

"We're in a monitoring stage, we're not in an emergency stage right now," said Winterton."At this point it's an education thing."

According to Winterton, city engineers meet regularly with emergency personnel to ensure they've done everything possible to prepare for an emergency.

"We've done as much as we can with the people to help them help themselves."