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Flooding along Lake Ontario, Montreal linked by dam

Flooding in Montreal
Veronica Volk
Flooding in Montreal

Due to heavy rains, Lake Ontario is overflowing its banks. Some New Yorkers want to lower the lake level by releasing water from a dam downstream.
But the International Joint Commission, which controls the dam, says that will bring more flooding to Montreal.

Sounds of flooding in Montreal
According to Jacob Bruxer at the IJC, Quebec is in for an historic weekend.

The region has already been dealing with high water levels and flash flooding due to heavy rains over the last week. Now it's projected to get worse.


In Montreal, residents of some neighborhoods are sandbagging their properties; in others, evacuating.
Near the St. Lawrence River, marinas have had to remove boats and secure their gas pumps.
And on the other end of the Island, near the Ottawa River, the fire department is moving people and resources back and forth using rowboats. Some neighborhoods are already as much as two feet underwater.
Experts say there is little anyone can do, including the IJC, to alleviate the flooding, except wait and hope for dry weather.

Copyright 2017 Great Lakes Today

Veronica Volk is a senior editor and producer for WXXI News.