Some still frustrated with Lake Ontario outflows

Lake Ontario has had record flooding for two of the past three years and the agency that regulates lake outflows has been under fire, especially from the Town of Greece.

The International Joint Commission has a branch that regulates flow through the Moses-Saunders Dam along the St. Lawrence called the International Lake Ontario-St. Lawrence River Board. Greece Supervisor Bill Reilich, vocally against many of the decisions made by this board has joined the conversation as the newest member.

“It’s not only the outflow of the water but what’s the volume coming into the lake,” says Reilich. He considers himself the voice for the southern shores of Lake Ontario, whereas before the dominating voice, according to Reilich, was shipping through Canada. “Balancing means when there’s a pain, the flooding that we’ve experienced, everyone has to feel that pain. Maybe we shut down shipping for a week.”