Letter to Craig Middlebrook, Deputy Admin. of the Saint Lawrence Seaway, and Terence Bowles, President and CEO of the Saint Lawrence Seaway - With Lake Ontario levels +1 foot over seasonal average, Schumer urges St. Lawrence Seaway to deter threat of a 3rd year of historic flooding, including raising Moses-Saunders dam outflows
Letter
Dear Deputy Administrator Middlebrook and President & CEO Bowles,
I write to urge the St Lawrence Seaway to take immediate steps to help prevent a third year of devastating flooding across the Lake Ontario shoreline by agreeing to increase outflows through the Moses-Saunders Dam. This past summer during the period when outflows were increased to record high levels (L+200), the St. Lawrence Seaway accommodated increased outflows by instituting enhanced safety protocols to ensure safe shipping while enabling increased dam outflows to lower Lake Ontario's water level. However, these same enhanced protocols are not all currently being employed, indicating outflows can be increased now above L+200 if these protocols are reinstated. Therefore, I urge the St. Lawrence Seaway to again implement these measures and support increased outflows through the Moses-Saunders Dam.
Lake Ontario's water level is currently more than 19 inches higher than average for this time of year. According to U.S. Army Corps of Engineer (USACE) long-term projections, both Lake Ontario and Lake Erie water levels are estimated to remain above historical norms for the remainder of this year, threatening to exceed the record high recorded December water level set in 1945 and increasing the likelihood of a repeat of the disastrous 2017 and 2019 flooding. It's incumbent on St. Lawrence Seaway as a member of the International Joint Commission (IJC) St Lawrence-Lake Ontario River Control Board to increase outflows to the maximum now in order to draw down water ahead of spring runoff.
I urge your immediate attention to this request so that outflows can be increased to reduce the potential for future flooding in lakefront communities.
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