It's no secret that the rising water levels along Lake Ontario have done their fair share of damage and continue to threaten residents along the lake, since the water is 19 inches higher than the November season average.

In an effort to curb the damage, the International Lake Ontario, the St. Lawrence River Board announced Friday it will continue deviating from Plan 2014.

Lake managers have been setting those standards aside since this spring's historic flooding. Now, they're trying to reduce lake levels as much as they can before winter in an effort to head off spring flooding.

Senator Charles Schumer is calling for more action. He released a letter to the St. Lawrence Seaway to increase outflows above the record at which they were operating this summer.

He says that if the speed controls and other precautions are put in place, they should be able to drop the lake level. He says both Lake Ontario and Lake Erie water levels are estimated to remain above historical norms for the remainder of this year.

If your property, business or organization was damaged during the record flooding, it's time for you to apply for reimbursement. The Lake Ontario Business Resiliency Program is now accepting applications. Property owners could end up being reimbursed 50 percent of project costs, with a maximum award of $200,000.

To qualify, applicants must have been impacted by flooding between January 1 and October 31 of this year or are considered to be at extreme risk of future flood damage. Applicants must receive a local matching contribution from their municipality totaling at least 5 percent of the program assistance funds.

To find an application, click on the Empire State Development website.