Flood water flows like a creek as Cuomo pledges $7M to help

Steve Orr
Democrat and Chronicle
Gov. Andrew Cuomo speaks at a news briefing in Greece. He was flanked by state Sen. Joe Robach, R-Greece, and Monroe County Executive Cheryl Dinolfo.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Monday the state would provide $7 million to help homeowners whose property has been damaged by flooding along Lake Ontario.

Cuomo spoke Monday afternoon in a briefing on Edgemere Drive in Greece.

The governor, who visited a flood-damaged home and talked with residents during a 50-minute visit, said he had asked federal officials to install large boulders, or riprap, along the shoreline.

Extreme high water on Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River has caused damage to hundreds of residential and commercial properties on the shoreline. Numerous roads have been closed at times. Private and public breakwalls have been destroyed by waves and countless structures have been flooded.

Edgemere Drive resident Joseph Burgio,  explains high water problems to New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo who visited Greece and announced $7 million for residential flood damage.

The water level in Lake Ontario remains as high as it has been in 100 years of record-keeping. Experts say it likely will be several months before the level drops appreciably.

"The situation here in the town of Greece is devastating," Cuomo said. "People here have lived through this for weeks now. God bless their stamina." He added that residents of other shoreline communities are similarly suffering.

The governor toured the home of Joseph and Charlene Burgio, where pumps have been running continuously for more than a month to keep water from filling their crawlspace.

On Monday, the skies were sunny and the lake was calm. But last Thursday, when a reporter visited the property, a strong northeast wind sent waves over the top of their breakwall, ripping apart a new wooden deck and shooting spray through the front door.

A steady flood of water flowed like a small creek alongside their home into Edgemere Drive.

"It's true a dramatic picture of how bad the situation is," Cuomo said after visiting the home Monday.

Cuomo declared a state of emergency May 2 in the eight counties with shoreline on the lake and St. Lawrence River. The National Guard  and other state agencies have assisted with sandbagging, emergency permit issuance and other support.

On Monday, he said he had imposed a uniform 5 mph speed limit within 600 feet of the entire Lake Ontario shoreline, to prevent boat wake that could flood homes and streets. He also said he had signed legislation that gave shoreline municipalities early access to a pot of state money to pay for water infrastructure work.

Heidi Levy, who lives on Edgemere Drive in Greece appeals for help  to New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo as he tours flood damage along the Lake Ontario shoreline. Cuomo said the state pledged $7 million for residents  with up to $40,000 per household depending on income level.

Cuomo said the $7 million in homeowner grant money he was offering would be parceled out to help repair homes in the eight affected counties. Residents could obtain up to $40,000, depending on their income. Senior citizens could receive more.

The funds would be used for expenses not covered by insurance, Cuomo said. Experts have said that regular homeowners' insurance generally doesn't cover flood damage.

Cuomo announced a week ago that his administration would make $10 million available to repair and improve public infrastructure damaged in the flooding.  Administration officials then announced another $5 million in grants would be offered to small businesses that had been damaged by flooding.

Between 50 and 75 area residents gathered along Edgemere to hear the governor's remarks. Afterward, several said that while they appreciated the state's efforts and the governor's concern, $7 million only scratched the surface.

"It's a start but it's not going to be enough," said Virginia Meier, who lives on Edgemere Drive.

It'll take months for Lake Ontario to reach normal levels. Here's one reason why.

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Edgemere homes flooded as breakers slam ashore

The state Senate has approved legislation to provide $55 million in financial support for shoreline property owners and municipalities, including $20 million for residents. A bill introduced last week in the state Assembly would provide $105 million, including $40 million for residents.

The state is stepping in this case, as it has done in the wake of some other floods, because the shoreline flooding does not appear for qualify for federal disaster aid.

In his remarks Monday, Cuomo drew cheers from residents when, in response to a reporter's question, he blasted the International Joint Commission for committing "a series of blunders" in their management of the lake level.

"The people of the state of New York are getting the short end of the stick," he said.

The water level in Lake Ontario can be regulated to some degree via opening and closing gates on a hydroelectric dam in the St. Lawrence, into which the lake flows.

The IJC, a U.S.-Canada treaty organization, oversees the regulatory plan. With the agreement of the two nation's governments, the commission adopted a new plan late last year that many shoreline residents blame for this year's high water.

Cuomo did not blame the new Plan 2014 per se, but said the commission "blew it" by not releasing enough water from the lake. 

The IJC and others have said the lake is at record heights primarily because of exceptionally heavy rainfall this spring through the Eastern Greater Lakes region.

Just shy of 15 inches of rain have fallen in Rochester since March 1, nearly double the normal amount for that time period. That's the second most rainfall in Rochester in that period since 1871.

There has been heavy rain throughout New York, in Ohio and in nearby portions of the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Quebec.

More:Lake Ontario water levels not dropping soon

Flooding of yards, basements and streets near the shoreline has been a near-constant occurrence over the last three months, with the worst episodes coming when northerly winds push waves into the south shore.

Edgemere Drive and nearby areas suffered from  such episodes Thursday and the previous Saturday.  A number of residents have been forced to move belongings out of their properties to keep them from being ruined by floodwaters, or to leave their homes altogether.

The concern remains that a long-lived, truly severe storm — something not all that common in summertime — could drown the shoreline in much larger waves.

"If we get a storm, the damage could be horrendous. The damage could be horrendous," Cuomo said. "People are living on pins and needles."

SORR@Gannett.com