Water levels on Lake Erie, Lake St. Clair and the Detroit River may be lower and winter is coming -- but that doesn't mean shoreline residents across Windsor Essex can breathe easier.
Officials from the Windsor Port Authority and the Essex Region Conservation Authority say flooding is still a major concern because of ice.
Harbour master Peter Berry tells CTV Windsor water levels are still higher than records set in 1986 and residents should prepare for a difficult winter.
"As much as it looks like we've receded a lot, we're still above the historical highs," says Berry. "With that water is going to come ice, so that soft water will become hard water. That hard water is that much more difficult to manage when it starts to move."
ERCA Director of Watershed Management Tim Byrne says water levels have dropped about 10 inches since they peaked in late August, but he predicts there will be flooding over the winter months.
"We are gravely concerned about the levels that we are seeing right now," adds Byrne. "This is not something to be complacent with."
Berry points out high water problems don't go away with cold weather.
"It's not something that we can manage very well," admits Berry. "We don't have a lot of assets in the area relative to responding to ice emergencies. There is no ice rescue in this municipality and there is some in neighbouring municipalities but we still have to call for it."