The Essex Region Conservation Authority says lake levels are reaching the highs of 1998 and it is working with all municipal partners to ensure flood preparedness.

ERCA says it is due to the impacts of the past two winter seasons.

“While we have experienced an extremely wet spring season responding to inland riverine flooding, locally lake levels have been most impacted by the snowfall and resulting snowmelt from the upper Great Lakes received over the past two winters,” explains Tim Byrne, director of watershed management services.

Byrne says winds, especially from the north-east, can more significantly impact shoreline municipalities and residents.

Strong winds push the lake waters against the shoreline and the resulting wave energy can be immediately and significantly destructive to these properties.

ERCA has been actively contacting emergency response services across the region and is working at ensuring cross-municipal cooperation and the sharing of resources in case lake flooding occurs.

Shoreline property owners are urged to be mindful of the elevating lake levels and the potential impacts to their private properties.

All landowners are being asked to contact their local municipality and the ERCA for proper permits and clearances before undertaking any maintenance or improvement work.

Over the past four decades, high lake levels were experienced in 1973, 1985/86 and 1998.

Lake levels have been on the decline from 1998 until 2012, but over the past two years have rapidly reached 175.600 metres International Great Lakes Datum for Lake St. Clair and 175.000 metres I.G.L.D. for Lake Erie. Those were the levels previously reached in 1998.