I recently rebuilt my dock on the St. Lawrence, which was wrecked by the 2017 high water levels. Now, despite raising it 28 inches, I have had the special pleasure of watching my boat float on top of the dock.

What makes it even better is watching the parade of public officials expressing their deep concern, and managing to blame everyone but themselves.

This waterfront flooding on Lake Ontario and the upper St. Lawrence is directly due to Plan 2014, a water levels plan draw up by the New York DEC, working with environmental activists like Save the River. This followed the state’s rejection of a compromise plan that would have helped both the environment and protected waterfront businesses, and camp and homeowners.

It is plainly evident that the government and politicians of both parties are not going to revisit that water levels plan, and that we are going to have to live with extreme fluctuations of water levels on the St. Lawrence. There isn’t much we can do about it, except be aware that we were misled, and be very wary the next time the state and activists come up with a “plan.”

Tim Wright

Lisbon