On February 28, 2020, a State of Emergency was declared in the areas of Erieau Road, the Village of Erieau and Erie Shore Drive due to the substantial risk of conditions developing that would render the Erie Shore Drive dike unstable with progressive failures potentially leading to a significant breach. An emergency meeting of Council agreed to close the road effective March 9, 2020. Residents would be evacuated, and immediate work would begin to improve the stability of the dike.
Lower lake levels have recently been recorded by the LTVCA over a sustained period of time. Public Works has also noted reduced flooding events in recent months and has not had an event that required the closure of Erie Shore Drive so far in 2022. Golder Associates Ltd. has re-evaluated recommendations from March 31, 2020, regarding the necessary protection measures along Erie Shore Drive and has concluded that such measures are no longer required since the critical level is not anticipated to be exceeded over at least the coming year.
This week, Public Works has begun to remove the concrete blocks installed to temporarily block and deny passage along Erie Shore Drive, and it will again accommodate two-way traffic and return to its previously posted speed limit of 40 km/hr.
The Drainage Act process is currently underway with the completed Drainage Report anticipated this fall. Particularly with climate change, history should not be used as the sole indicator of future lake levels, but it appears that there is a downward trend in water levels, which in the past has shown decades between the peaks and troughs.
Public Works will continue to actively monitor Erie Shore Drive to ensure the safety of the residents and the motoring public.
