Windsor and Tecumseh have always been prone to flooding, but it’s hard to deny that the problem has gotten worse lately. Almost every storm comes with a flood warning that puts homeowners all over both cities on edge. What’s behind the increased risk? It’s probably a combination of a few different factors.
1. There’s Water Everywhere Here
Windsor and Tecumseh have one obvious yet devastating characteristic that makes this area susceptible to floods: both cities are surrounded by water.
We’re not quite on an island, but between Lake St. Clair to the north, Lake Erie to the south, and the Detroit River running across the north-western part of the perimeter, we’ve got a lot of spots where water can creep up and spill over.
2. We’re On Low Land
Windsor’s elevation averages just 190m above sea level. Tecumseh’s is even lower at an average of just 183m above sea level.
That might sound high at face value, but the reality is a little more complicated. Not all bodies of water sit at sea level – in fact, many parts of the sea itself don’t. Sea level is the average height of the sea across its entire surface area.
The Detroit River, Lake Erie, and Lake St. Clair all sit at around 175m above sea level. That puts just 7m to 15m between us and the water, and that gap shrinks the closer you get to the shoreline. No wonder the boundaries between the two get blurry sometimes!
3. We Have a High Water Table
A location’s water table is the point at which the ground underneath that location becomes saturated with groundwater. The higher the water table, the less space there is for water from above ground level to drain off.
Most of Windsor has a high water table. When water accumulates here, there’s nowhere for it to go but up.
4. Climate Change Is Worsening
Unfortunately, climate change is starting to impact weather patterns. Extreme weather events are more common than they used to be, and many of those events involve torrential rain.
Our city’s infrastructure wasn’t built to handle having tens of millimetres of rainwater dumped into it all at once. It would be tough to keep that much water from causing floods even without all these other factors working against us. With them, it’s almost impossible.
Fight Back Against Floods with Fowler Plumbing
Floods are a fact of life here in Windsor, but flood damage doesn’t have to be. Devices like sump pumps and backwater valves can protect your home from the worst of the fallout. Contact Fowler Plumbing today and let us set you up with a flood prevention system that can stand up to any storm.