High water levels worry Sudbury canoe club

A Sudbury canoe club instructor says high water levels on Ramsey Lake are causing problems, even though the city says it would rather see higher water levels than lower ones.

The canoe club says high water levels hinder its ability to operate, as people who want to access the boats must trek through several centimetres of water.

The cooler spring and more rain have resulted in water levels that are 30 centimetres higher than usual.

The kayak instructor with the club, Norman Lafleur, said some users of the club have to wear rubber boots to access the building.

"If we had any more water, we’d be able to paddle [the boats] right out of the building," he said.

'A balancing act'

But the city’s director of water and wastewater, Nick Benkovich, said the higher water levels create a favourable situation by preventing other potential problems, such as "rocks [and] hazards to navigation … sometimes that will lead to water quality issues."

Benkovich said, at this time of year, higher water levels are better than lower water levels.

"It’s really a balancing act. If we get too high, people have to walk in puddles at really low areas along the shoreline," he said. "And if we get too low, we have concerns for other things."

To find a balance in water levels, the city will likely step in next week, Benkovich said, adding that water levels can be changed through adjustments at the city’s water control station.