It has been a record year for water levels in municipalities throughout Ontario and the Municipality of Port Hope is no exception. Staff continue to monitor the levels daily and are in constant contact with the Province, the Office of the Fire Marshal and Emergency Management (OFMEM), and the Ganaraska Region Conservation Authority (GRCA). Below are some additional updates for specific areas of concern:

Waterfront Trail Closure

Residents are reminded that portions of the Waterfront Trail remain closed due to exceedingly high water levels and damage caused by erosion and path washouts to the Trail. This closure will remain in effect until the water recedes, to ensure the safety and well-being of our residents and visitors and until Municipal Staff are able to examine the extent of the damage. No access to the closed portions of the Trail is permitted. Residents who choose to ignore the closure do so at their own risk and are subject to fines as per By-Law 45/2012.

Beach Clean-up

Clean-up of the East and West beaches has been delayed this season, due to the amount of debris that remains in the lake and the high water levels. Beach clean-up will occur, as usual, once water levels have receded and most of the lake debris is washed ashore.

West Beach Outlet Channel

The existing outlet channel for the Water Treatment Plant at the West Beach is used to discharge treated process water back to the lake. This is a standard, annual practice as the outlet is critical to the Municipality’s operations. Due to the high water levels this year, Municipal Staff have excavated the channel deeper than in previous years. Maintaining the outlet is a requirement under our Drinking Water license and is critical to ensure the safety of the system.