Plan 2014 is not responsible for the damage caused by the high waters along Lake Ontario says a member of the Board that implemented the plan.
Today’s Northumberland sent an e-mail to Rob Caldwell who is the Canadian Secretary for the International Lake Ontario – St. Lawrence River Board.
On Monday, June 17, 2019 Caldwell stated in an e-mail, “it is the role of the Board’s Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River Adaptive Management (GLAM) Committee to evaluate the performance of our regulatory operations and the regulation plan and recommend any improvements.”
Their analysis of the conditions and impacts in 2017 determent that, “Plan 2014 did not cause, or meaningfully exacerbate the flooding and associated damages that occurred in 2017.”
And further stated, “it is expected that a similar conclusion can be anticipated with regard to the 2019 flooding.”
The International Lake Ontario – St. Lawrence River Board implemented Plan 2014 to ensure that releases at the Moses-Saunders Dam comply with the International Joint Commission’s 8 December 2016 Supplementary Order effective January 2017.
Plan 2014 was implemented to protect against extreme water levels, restore climate wetlands and prepare for climate change.
The International Joint Commission Canada and United States stated in their report, “the International Joint Commission, after 14 years of scientific study and public engagement, advances Plan 2014 as the preferred option for regulating Lake Ontario-St. Lawrence River water levels and flows. Scientific studies reveal that the Commission’s 1956 Orders of Approval and regulation of the flows through the power project following Plan 1958D with deviations, have harmed ecosystem health primarily by substantially degrading 26,000 hectares (64,000 acres) of shoreline wetlands. After exhaustive consideration of alternative plans, the Commission concludes that Plan 2014 offers the best opportunity to reverse some of the harm while balancing upstream and downstream uses and minimizing possible increased damage to shoreline protection structures.”
The report is available at http://ijc.org/en/glam/summary-2017-great-lakes-basin-conditions-and-water-level-impacts-support-ongoing-regulation.
Author: Pete Fisher
Has been a photojournalist for over 30-years and have been honoured to win numerous awards for photography and writing over the years. Best selling author for the book Highway of Heroes - True Patriot Love
