Water levels in the Kingston region have continued to rise over the last two months, and with boating season upon us, it has prompted OPP in Napanee, and municipal officials to issue a warning to boaters asking them to travel no faster than 10 km/h when within 100 feet from the shoreline.
Moving any faster could cause large wakes, which could cause damage to waterfront properties and erosion along the shoreline.
“What we’re asking is for people to pull the throttle back, enjoy the view,” Napanee Mayor Marg Isbester said. “Try to help the neighbours who are on the water. There are lots of responsible boaters. (But) it only takes a few to ruin it for everyone.”
This is the highest the water has been in the past 100 years, even higher than in 2017.
“You do get the odd person, who maybe not intentionally, doesn’t realize that the water level is having an impact on the shorelines,” Insp. Scott Semple of Lennox and Addington County OPP said.
Diane St. George, a resident of Napanee, says she has noticed it too. She recently moved into a waterfront home on the Napanee River. A large portion of her back deck has been underwater since the end of April.
“A lot of boaters do slow down but there are a few that go very fast,” St. George said. “Of course, the wake comes up here and splashes, even on the bottom step you can see it splashes up.”
The entire ordeal has left her wondering how much it would cost to repair her deck. St. George hasn’t yet contacted her insurance company, but plans to soon.