A picturesque Monday along the Oswego River is overshadowed by the continuous Lake Ontario flooding.

“That’s definitely the worst flooding I’ve seen just because we got such a large amount of rain in a short period of time,” said Billy Barlow. 

Lifelong Oswego resident and now Mayor Billy Barlow is picking up the damage left behind. But he’s also looking for accountability. 

“They’re not listening to how bad it actually is,” said Barlow.

As Mayor Barlow sees it, the international Joint Commission’s Plan 2014 is to blame for recent flooding. The IJC says it is weather related— excessive rain causing flooding throughout the Great Lake watershed means there isn’t much a regulation plan can do. 

“Plan 2014 went into effect at the end of 2016 and two out of the last three years we’ve seen major flooding and high water around Lake Ontario. So that’s either a crazy coincidence or directly related to Plan 2014,” said Barlow.

Up to this point this year, Central New York has received almost 22 inches of rain. In 2018, it was only 16 inches. In another particularly troubling year for flooding, 2017 had roughly 25 inches by this point. In 2016, again was only 16 inches. 

Mayor Barlow is bringing a resolution forward to his common council— he’d like to send a letter to state representatives and the IJC urging for the suspension of Plan 2014.

“No matter what IJC says I don’t think anyone knew that he high water levels in Plan 2014 would have this much damage on our shoreline,” said Barlow. 

A spokesperson for the IJC says he doesn’t know of any talks about suspending the plan.