The Essex Region Conservation Authority wants to improve floodline mapping in the area.
It’s one of the priorities outlined by the organization for 2018 as officials deal with a changing climate.
Significant rainfall, up to 290 millimetres in some areas, from Aug. 28 to Aug. 29 brought major flooding to Windsor, Tecumseh, and other parts of Essex County.
The Insurance Bureau of Canada says over 1,000 basements were reported flooded and water levels were waist-high in some areas. City of Windsor officials say they received over 6,000 reports of basement flooding.
Other priorities for ERCA in 2018 include initiating a regional Climate Change Adaptation Strategy, the creation over 100 acres of new habitat including an innovative wetland project and continuing to tackle phosphorus loadings in Lake Erie.
“A robust suite of high priority projects and programs to protect and restore the natural environment of the region will be undertaken,” says Richard Wyma, ERCA’s general manager. “These include programs to increase habitat and forest cover, maintain and expand conservation areas and trails, aid our member municipalities in protecting people and infrastructure from the dangers of flooding and erosion particularly in the era of a changing climate, and to provide meaningful education and engagement opportunities for our residents.”
ERCA’s 2018 budget totals $9,271,600. That includes a proposed levy contribution of $3,148,752, an increase of $101,019, or $0.09 per household.
ERCA says this levy funds less than 30 per cent of its operations, placing ERCA in the bottom five of all Conservation Authorities, and well below the provincial average.
“In addition to trails, conservation areas, and services to ensure our homes and properties are protected from flooding and erosion, ERCA is also unique in that it provides a significant cash return on investment though grant dollars to municipalities,” says ERCA Vice Chair and Windsor City Councillor Irek Kusmierczyk. “In the City of Windsor, we have benefitted greatly from the Water and Erosion Control Infrastructure grants that ERCA has been able to secure on our behalf.”
“The knowledge and skills that ERCA provides is a cost effective way to manage regional environmental priorities,” adds Chair and Amherstburg Councillor Rick Fryer. “Without the technical expertise that ERCA is able to offer from a regional perspective, each municipality would have to fund this expertise on its own. This relatively small contribution is an excellent investment in ensuring that our region is the Place for Life.”
