Niagara rain impact

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Another round of heavy rain has hit our area and the Hamilton Conservation Authority says Lake Ontario water levels are at a record high.

According to conservation authorities Lakeside Park in Port Dalhousie is one of the hardest hit areas.

Over a month ago city crews put up a fence and sandbags along the pier to stop the rising water, but despite their efforts the water has run up several metres inland. The piers are completely submerged, the parking lot is a pool and the beach is pretty well gone.

City crews were there today removing the sandbags along the fence because they were underwater.

Port Dalhousie Yacht Club’s docks are in the same state.

Water has started to creep up on Pier 61 Bar and Grill and although they haven’t had any structural issues yet, the soggy conditions have kept customers away.

“We are a waterfront community and they like coming when the weather is more pertinent and we haven’t seen that. This year it has been vastly different than last year. We were soaking up the sun. It was like summer in May.” said Jay Medeiros.

According to the Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority, places along Lake Ontario could expect shoreline flooding and erosion. The rain is not expected to create localized flooding in rivers and creeks, but city crews are on standby.

Conservation officials say it could be a month before Port Dalhousie is no longer underwater, and it could be probably around fall when the water returns to normal levels.