Waves crash against the shoreline on Erie Shore Dr. in near Erieau, Oct 25, 2017. (Photo by Paul Pedro)Waves crash against the shoreline on Erie Shore Dr. in near Erieau, Oct 25, 2017. (Photo by Paul Pedro)
Chatham

Ninth Flood Watch Issued This Year For Lake Erie Shore In CK

Another flood watch for the Lake Erie shoreline has been issued by the Lower Thames Valley Conservation Authority.

It's the ninth flood watch since early May.

Jason Wintermute, water management supervisor, says waves are having a greater effect than they did 20 years ago.  He says only half of the wind speeds and wave heights are required to cause problems down on Erie Shore Dr. compared to 1997.

Wintermute says it's difficult to pinpoint exactly what's happening because nobody is studying it but believes it's just years of constant pounding and shoreline erosion.

"As the lake deepens, the drag on the bottom of the lake doesn't slow the waves down. The wave hits the shoreline protection works with all of its energy and that puts water up on land and it causes a bigger spray and all that," says Wintermute.

He says flood watches and alerts this year have jumped significantly from last year because smaller waves are causing frequent flooding on Erie Shore Dr.

"I've issued 13 of these advisories since the beginning of October alone and pretty much everyone of those have turned into a flooding scenario where somebody down there had their property flooded. Well, that's like twice a week," Wintermute says.

Wintermute says winds are expected to peak Saturday afternoon with sustained wind speeds of 60 km/hr and gusts up to 90 km/hr.

"The one that would distinguish this is the duration, like a 24 hour period where the winds and waves would be high enough to cause problems down there. So, this one could be along one for residents down there," says Wintermute.

Conservation officials say strong wind on Friday night, Saturday and Saturday night will cause high waves similar to or exceed those that caused flooding earlier this year along Erie Shore Dr. in Chatham-Kent.

LTVCA says there is a risk that wave action could damage the shoreline and cause erosion.

People, pets and livestock should avoid the shoreline.

The flood watch is in effect until Sunday.

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