The Town of Tecumseh is joining other municipalities in Essex County who are trying to help residents concerned about shoreline flooding.

Following a presentation by the Essex Region Conservation Authority on Tuesday night, council decided to offer sand bags to residents at a cost of $50,000.

A number of properties are at risk of flooding and erosion damage due to high water levels along the shores of Lake Erie and Lake St. Clair.

ERCA Director of Watershed Management Tim Byrne tells CTV Windsor the potential for flooding is imminent.

Byrne says the water levels on Lake St. Clair could rise another 10 inches from its current level with more rain in the forecast.

“It doesn't sound like much except right now we are already 32 inches or .8 meters above the long term average, so it doesn't take much to you know have a drowning person affected by flood water,” says Byrne. “If the flood waters up to your mouth and it goes up an inch, that's a big problem.”

The service will be free of charge to residents until mid-June, and more information will be released at a later date.

Tecumseh joins Lakeshore, Amherstburg, Leamington, Essex and Windsor in making sandbags available to residents with water frontage.

In Lakeshore, officials say they have handed out more than 7,000 sandbags in the last four weeks.

Lakeshore residents need to show ID indicating where they live, since not everyone gets sandbags. Residents can get up to 100 bags, but they need to bring a shovel and fill their bags.

In Amherstburg, the town will be assisting with sandbag distribution for residents of properties on the water’s edge from County Road 41 to Malden Road, and additionally properties along the water in the South Riverview area.

Potentially affected residents within those areas can obtain up to 100 sand bags per property to begin their own preparation for a possible flooding event.

Bags can be obtained Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the public works department at 512 Sandwich Street South, and on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the public works south yard at 6744 Concession 6 South.

Sand is also available at any time and located at Public Works South Yard, 6744 Concession 6 South

In Essex, residents will be able to pick up free sandbags in Colchester.

Up to 100 sandbags will be provided to Essex residents. The sandbags will be available at Colchester Harbour from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily.

Harbour staff will be on-hand to distribute bags. Sand for the bags will also be available at Colchester Schoolhouse during the same time period.

Sandbags will be provided on a first-come, first-served basis.

Residents seeking to pick-up bags and sand are asked to bring their own shovels. Equipment for filling sand bags will not be provided. Residents will also be responsible for future disposal of sandbags.

The City of Windsor continues to make sandbags available to residents living between George Avenue and east to the Town of Tecumseh border, living on the north side of Riverside Drive.

A sandbag station is accessible at 9410 Little River Road (just west of the Little River Bridge and the roundabout) between noon and 8 p.m. on weekdays and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays.

The site will remain accessible on Sundays as well, but there will be no staff on hand to provide support, sandbags or shovels. The depot will remain in place until Wednesday, May 22, depending on demand.

The sandbag station will have a city staff member on hand, except for Sunday, but the bags and filling of the bags are the responsibility of residents.

ERCA officials urge residents to use sandbags to protect “assets” like homes and garages.