Water levels drop along north shore of Essex County

A stain on the seawall at the entrance to the Southport Sailing Club marina shows how high water levels reached this summer — nearly all the way to the top.

However, the water level is now down several centimetres from the high water mark. Little River is no longer cresting above the seawall and the water at Lakeview Park Marina is no longer lapping over the docks.

Bertha Street resident Pauline Cheeseman is glad the water is no longer encroaching on her backyard.

"I'm glad it's down so we can cut the grass. It's a little scary when it comes up a bit. I wish it would go down some more," said Cheeseman, who says she had minnows swimming in her backyard near the river.

"I think it's to be expected. Usually around this time of the year," said John Peck, who lives on the same street, and added that he and his wife haven't been able to canoe on the river due to high water levels.

But Peck and Cheeseman aren't ready to celebrate just yet.

Tim Byrne of the Essex Region Conservation Authority said wind could play a factor in reduced water levels.

He said the last time water levels were this high was in 1986. Back then, the water didn't reach the highest levels until October.

Byrne said it's still possible water could reach levels where "significant damage" could occur along shorelines.

Frank Seglenieks, a water resource engineer with Environment Canada, doesn't expect water levels to go down to normal levels until sometime near the end of January.

"It'd be very unlikely that we'll get back down to average conditions by the end of the year," said Seglenieks.

According to Seglenieks, even if it remains dry, we will still see higher than normal levels for several months.