Dear editor:

Regarding Brian Marshall’s column last week, I am not sure why the superintendent of irrigation and drainage needs to spend money on an engineer’s report (“Arch-i-text: Addressing stormwater infrastructure issues“). Isn’t that what he is paid for?

Two years ago, Niagara had major flooding. I think that I wrote to the The Lake Report, maybe even the town, that one, very, possible cause of the flooding, on Line 7 Road at least, was probably due to a complete lack of adequate and well maintained stormwater structure.

To put it simply, the ditches and drains, in my case the Cole Drain, need to be clear for water to flow, unimpeeded. If forests of reeds and rushes are allowed to grow, well above road level, and congest those drains, their purpose, to allow the free flow of water, is severely reduced.

Two years ago, 2024, my neighbour had stormwater pouring into her basement; the Cole Drain along Line 7 Road was ingrown with reeds and rushes.

Last year, those reeds and rushes were mowed. Those reeds and rushes grew, and this year’s storm, on July 27/28, had water pouring into my basement, over the window wells, to the depth of 5’9”, with the Cole Drain again filled with a forest of reeds and rushes.

I was told by someone at the town offices, that the drains are cleared on a schedule — plants don’t grow on a schedule.

I see town vehicles a minimum of every two days, or more. Those drivers should have a duty to report any drain that has reeds or rushes approaching road-level to report them, and then they should be mowed.

It should be a simple concept: to mitigate flooding, keep the flood gates in order, and the waterways, drains and ditches, designed to carry away flood water, clear of impediments so that water can flow unobstructed.

Too often government entities forgo maintenance, then we pay for that avoidable neglect.

Madis Tambre
NOTL