OLCOTT, N.Y. (WKBW) — "Right now we are rising about an inch a day."
Timothy Horanburg, the Newfane Town Supervisor, looks over the recently closed Olcott Beach. There's just a few feet of of space, if that, between the entrance and rising water levels.
"We have no beach, and what we did have is gone," he said.
Flooding is a serious concern along the Lake Ontario and Niagara River waterfronts. Water has already crept into Niagara Jet Adventures, a powerboat tour company.
"We are going to flood again," Brian Price, the owner of Niagara Jet Adventures, said.
He has already moved refrigerators and other items in his business. Water has crested over parts of the platform to get onto the tour boats. Price hopes that his past renovations from the 2017 flood mitigate any damage.
"I’ve replaced that floor three times in the past two years because of the damage. I've had to raise the floor six inches."
Water levels are going to continue rising for at least another two weeks, according to the commissioner of Homeland Security in New York, Pat Murphy.
This could potentially rob business owners of money. Olcott Beach is a popular tourist destination, and it's piers attract many fishers.
"Federal pier just down here is within four inches of being under water, and we will have to close that, and that's an area where fisherman go that don’t have boats and stuff, and they spend money here. It's economic value that we lose," Horanburg said.
It's the same issue with Niagara Jet Adventures. If there is too much flooding, business may be suspended.
New York has been setting up damns, water pumps, and handing out sandbags to anyone that needs them. However, the state urges that everyone take the necessary precautions to mitigate damage.
