Windsor officials say the risk of overland flooding for properties along the Detroit River and Lake St. Clair has subsided for the time being, but sandbags remain available to residents wishing to be prepared should conditions worsen again.
The Essex Region Conservation Authority lowered the flood level from a warning to a watch Thursday, but lake and river levels remain very high, so officials say a shift in wind or a heavy and sustained downpour could still lead to trouble.
The City of Windsor continues to make sandbags available to residents living in a specified area along Riverside Drive East, as they are most in danger of overland flooding.
The sandbag station is open to residents living between George Avenue and east to the Town of Tecumseh border, living on the north side of Riverside Drive.
“We opened the sandbag station on Wednesday at noon and we’ve had several residents take advantage,” said city engineer Mark Winterton. “These are private properties, so we’re doing what we can to help them, while at the same time continuing to monitor the situation for the entire city.”
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.
Residents attending the sandbag station will be asked to show proof of address (mail or billing information showing address) and to check in with the attendant each time they visit.
Anyone interested in volunteering to help at the sandbag station is asked to register online with 311 using the “Call for Volunteers” service request.
Lakeshore, Amherstburg, Leamington and Essex are also offering sandbags to residents in certain areas due to high water levels along the shores of Lake Erie and Lake St. Clair.
Officials in the Town of Lakeshore say they have already given out 7,000 sandbags in three weeks and have 5,000 more arriving Friday.
