Quinte Fishing

I hope the headline got your attention!
Last night I attended the Napanee High Water Meeting, very informative and very disturbing.
I am not a chicken Little who runs around screaming the sky is falling however this has caught my attention.
As stated last night the Lake Ontario/ Bay water levels are forecast to be 8 to 20" higher than last years record highs, if that is allowed to happen then it will have serious effect on our ability to access the Bay.
Glenora Ferry
It was stated than even a modest 2-4" increase will stop the Glenora ferry, in 2017 they tried putting a tractor trailer filled with ballast in the middle lane,as one ferry sat to high in the water to safely dock, in 2019 due to workers health and safety issues they were not allowed to repeat this solution, that's why we were down to one ferry last summer, we were told that another 2-4" would stop the other ferry from operating, left with no ferry service coupled with the ongoing Hwy 49 Skyway Brideg construction it's going to be a gong show.
Boat Ramps and access to the Bay
Just imagine the effects of that high water on the boat ramps, remember back to last June, if I recall there was issues in Trenton, at both Belleville ramps, Hay Bay Church the list goes on. The Beach Street Ramp in Wellington was flooded out for weeks, with 20" of extra water I suspect they are going to close Beach Street due to flooding.
What is this high water doing to our wildlife, there were fewer hatchlings last year, Swan, Goose and duck numbers were noticeably down, 2017 levels greatly reduced the number of turtle sunning themselves on the rock in front of my place in 2018, last year water snakes were every where forced out due to high water, the herons had a field day.
Now the question become what can we do about this, first of get informed, get involved and contact you MLA, MP anybody that can help.
Read about Plan 2014 and the mismanagement of lake Ontario water levels,
here is a link to the United Shorelines Ontario website
https://www.unitedshorelineontario.ca/
Lots of info on the Plan 2014 and it's political implications, in my opinion they are letting Lake Ontario flood in order to save Montreal and the container shipping industry.
You will also find a list of politicians email address, contact them make them aware that you as a tax payer & voter would not be happy your not able to access the bay.
If you do own waterfront, become a member of USO, it's no cost, take the surveys, come to a meeting, one is tentatively planned for Picton, details will be forwarded as they become known. Take the survey, tell your storey as to what effect the the high water has on your lifestyle and finances, get involved,.
I am not going to take this sitting down, my wife & I worked to long, to hard, paid my taxes and saved our pennies so we could live where others go to relax, we are going to need sandbags, volunteers to help fill them and help build the walls. My neighbours are in there 70s and 80s they can't lift a 60lb sandbag.
At this meeting there was also talk about No Wake Zones, law enforcement of existing rules and possible extensions. The Deseronto ramp was usable all summer however who knows if the floating dock connection point can handle the extra height, please be reminded that the rules state a speed limited of 10kph (6mph) 30metres (100ft) from shore, in Deseronto that gets you the end of the yacht club spit
Thanks for reading this far
BWH

Thanks for the informative post regarding the water level in the bay and area.

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David Delcloo aka Superdad
(Retired)

Kingston

It is a total mess and total mismanagement. I am further East near the St. Lawrence River and further East of me towards Cornwall the river right now is close to record low, many of the old roads of the "lost villages" that were flooded to make the Seaway years ago are now above the water level sitting high and dry. Hopefully somebody with a clue can figure out a solution.

JimW

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"EyeCandy" 2007 Tracker Pro Guide 17 walk thru windshield, 115 hp Mercury Optimax, 6 hp Yamaha 4 str kicker, Scotty electric riggers, YakAttack Gear Trax, Scotty Orca rod holders

Smiths Falls DCI Redhawks Fishing Team Coach

Jim...Not disputing your post but how is the water so low there but really really high here in Kingston? No doubt there is mismanagement , for many many years levels have been "normal" and look at 2017 and 2019. If we get the high water (higher) this year it will be devastating. All 5 of the Great Lakes were at record highs last year.

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Don't count the day's Make the day's count
Off Shore Tackle Team Canada
Limestone City Fishing Charter
www.limestonecityfishingcharters.com
YouTube Jim Lyon Fishing

It was a great meeting. So glad I did not miss it. There working on the boat ramp on Bayview Dr. looks good. asked for a no wake sign. it will be there this spring. Thanks Brianna clement.

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Hi all people know me as gord

Not to dispute the issue of high levels but check out the following site to see that this quote is not correct (but darn close)

https://www.glerl.noaa.gov/data/dashboard/GLD.html

Does sound a little bit like chicken little....
Please show me a report that says 8-20" higher this spring than last spring?
October was exceptionally higher but all the forecasts i see for spring seem to say similair to last year (still too high).
As for wildlife, many do better with flooding. Especially fish.
Goose and swan levels are at historical highs.

Is it good? No.
Is it going to be worse than last year? Not likely.

Sent from my SM-G973W using Tapatalk

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"I know exactly where the fish are. I marked it on the bottom of me boat!"

Bobber
I was simply reporting what was presented at the meeting, the 8" higher level was the least alarming level presented, US Army Cor of Engineers, United Shorelines Canada and even the IJWC who manage the water levels all predict higher levels with a "normal" spring, if water water will go higher, after seeing the damage done last year as a stakeholder I don't wish to be unprepared.
To protect my 70' of shoreline it's estimated I will need 800 sandbags to construct a wall as suggested by the USAC. Not something I wish to tackle last minute as the water us rising so to speak.
No wake signs and posted zones are good if they are enforced and fines issued.

BWH
800 sand bags sounds like a close number for 70 ft,, my son and I layed 540 to protect our place in 2017, there not fun to work with. Im pretty sure i know where ur located only thing u got goin which is good is ur house is higher on a slight rise from actual shore. We had a hell if a time blockading the house off. No wake zones and being enforced with high fines is something that should be done,, the large yaghts would fly past our place all the time. Im surprised sand bags never came down.

Jim I have no idea how the St. Lawrence in parts of Eastern Ontario is so low when the Great Lakes water levels are so high. I was shore fishing the first week of January in a spot I was out in the boat back in October and the water must have been at least 4 feet lower. Somebody with more brains then me might be able to explain what they are doing???!!??

https://www.cornwallseawaynews.com/2020 ... -lawrence/

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"EyeCandy" 2007 Tracker Pro Guide 17 walk thru windshield, 115 hp Mercury Optimax, 6 hp Yamaha 4 str kicker, Scotty electric riggers, YakAttack Gear Trax, Scotty Orca rod holders

Smiths Falls DCI Redhawks Fishing Team Coach

They have been reducing the flows out of Lake Ontario for the last couple of weeks, to make a good ice cover somewhere downstream. At least that is their excuse!