An icy St. Clair River seems to be no match for the Canadian Coast Guard.
High water levels due to ice build-up were causing flooding concerns in the Courtright area, but the Samuel Risley ice-breaking vessel is helping alleviate the problem.
Captain Signe Gotfredsen says she's confident the water levels will decrease.
"It's very weather dependent as both the temperature and wind-direction will affect the water levels," says Signe. "But it's an issue we deal with on a reasonably frequent basis."
Along with lowering the threat of a flood, the ice-breaking vessel allows commercial products to move through, and it helps protect the environment.
St. Clair Township Mayor Steve Arnold says at one point water levels were a foot above normal but have dropped by about ten inches at Sombra and Port Lambton.
Water levels at Frog Point south of Courtright were down by about six inches.
Mayor Arnold says there is no visible damage anywhere along the Canadian side of the St. Clair River, although water and ice were still over the bank at Cathcart Park.
The U.S. National Weather Service had issued a flood warning for areas along the St.Clair River south of St. Clair, Michigan after ice blockages caused the flooding of some roads and threatened homes.
