If you have a restaurant along the southern shores of Lake Ontario (Rochester and Sodus Bay), you should follow the news about a proposed water regulation plan dubbed “Plan Bv7.” This plan proposed by the International Joint Commission could replace the 50 year-old Plan “1958DD.” Development along Lake Ontario’s waterfront has relied on the assumption that these existing water level standards would remain. Critics allege that the new plan threatens their waterfront properties and infrastructure by increasing the chances of flooding for these southern shore properties. The Sodus Point Mayor fears that his village’s pump station would be damaged by flooding, causing sewage to flow into the lake. Similar issues could exist in other lakefront municipalities.

Why does it matter? Flood damage caused by a water-management plan would not be covered by insurance. Manmade floods are not “acts of God,” so they are not covered by insurance. This is a good time to understand your insurance coverage and to check with your architect, engineer or contractor to identify if any remedial work should be contemplated so you can budget it in over the next few years.