Sodus Point Mayor Dave McDowell looks out at the breakwall that separates Lake Ontario from Sodus Bay.
"There’s huge holes in it," he says. "There’s big sections that are missing now."
The eastern breakwall has been deteriorating under the stress of lake waves for years. McDowell says if it breaches, houses along the bay will be vulnerable to the full force of the lake.
"Water is one of the most powerful forces of nature. And we can only do so much," McDowell says.
The Army Corps of Engineers is planning an assessment of repairs this summer, but they have yet to solidify funding for construction. That will be up to Congress.
Lake Ontario is currently higher than average for this time of year, as it has been for the last two years. McDowell is not sure whether they’ll get repairs before the breakwall is damaged further.
"Who knows?" he questions. "We can’t predict the weather. We don’t know what the winds are going to do."
