Minutes
Special Meeting of Council
Wednesday, April 01, 2020

• Since Feb 27, water levels rose 3 inches. Predictions indicate we should expect to see the level rise another 5 inches between now and the end of April. The current water level is similar to the water levels observed last May and June.

• It is reasonable to expect Windsor will experience shoreline flooding this year either due to on-going rising water levels or because of wind driven wave action. The City has been preparing and working hard to limit the effects of flooding.

• A separate IMS structure has been established for flooding and is being led by the City Engineer.

• In addition to the City’s internal response, meetings with personnel from both Tecumseh and LaSalle to discuss preparedness and plans that each municipality has in place have been undertaken.

• Discussions included the need for Social Services support, particular vulnerabilities each municipality has identified and the intended evacuation routes being proposed.

• The greatest overland flooding threat in Windsor is the shoreline from George Avenue eastward to the Town of Tecumseh.

• This week and early next, residents in the affected areas will receive communication from the City reminding them overland flooding is a significant threat and should be taken seriously. The messaging clearly identifies the need for residents to ensure they have a plan that includes where they will go and stay in the event of an evacuation.

• Opening a shelter or reception center for evacuees during the pandemic is a last resort option and should be avoided if at all possible.

• In order to minimize the effects of overland flooding, City staff from Geomatics and the Office of the City Engineer have identified and prioritized the areas which are likely to be affected by flooding. Lidar technology and traditional surveying methods have been employed to develop detailed elevation maps of the affected shoreline and area.

• Windsor Police identified evacuation routes and provided detailed maps of the routes and barricade requirements to City staff.

• Effective April 1, 2020 the Harbormaster is imposing the 30m shoreline ban for vessels once again. The purpose of this is to eliminate or reduce shoreline erosion caused by the wakes of watercraft.

• The City is moving very quickly on implementing the mass notification system and expect to begin public sign up very shortly. This will allow us to communicate directly to subscribers and provide them with real time information and direction.