GENEVA, N.Y. — Parts of the region are bracing for higher-than-usual water levels following recent heavy rainfall, and some areas along Seneca Lake are already seeing the impact.
News10NBC’s Garrett Chan spoke with homeowners along Seneca Lake who said they’ve never seen water levels this high. The elevated water is not yet reaching the docks, but it is causing debris to flow up to shorelines.
Ken and Ellen Campbell, who own Copper Beach, said sticks and logs have washed up in just the past four days. Part of the soil from their lawn has washed away and water has crept into their boathouse.
“The erosion that’s happening. But I’m sure it’s a combination of water coming over here, but it’s also coming underneath…unless this goes down soon, we have no idea how to what extent this is going to be,” Ken Campbell said.
“I think we’re going to lose the dock…it’s going to completely submerge our dock,” he said.
At Roy’s Marina in Geneva, a combination of elevated water levels and high winds have created wear and tear on some of the docks. It’s also put a hold on the start of boating season.
Earlier this week, a boat was seen drifting into the middle of the lake, prompting those in the marina to step in. Larry Japp, owner of Roy’s Marina, said the situation could have been worse.
“She was lucky it went to the deeper water instead of just bashing against like, your neighbors doc or lift or something like that, you know? I mean, you know, even a boat, any boat could do a lot of damage banging into another structure,” Japp said.
The hope right now is someone steps in to mitigate the water levels before it’s too late.
“We’re having property damage and, and, people are losing boats, etc. there should be something that we can do and maybe it is open the, the canal earlier, depending on conditions, but there’s really nobody for us to come,” Ellen Campbell said.
“I’m not sure who’s controlling it, but, you know, it doesn’t seem as quickly as they used to handle it in the past,” Japp said.
With more rain on the way, it’s a waiting game for residents as they continue to monitor the water levels continuing to rise. Once those levels start to recede, residents said they’ll get a better sense of how much damage the water is creating for their properties.
Seneca Lake Pure Waters Association said water levels are managed by the company Relevate Power.
The post Seneca Lake homeowners say water levels higher than ever as erosion damages property, threatens docks appeared first on WHEC.com.
