Water levels across the Great Lakes region have been high this summer. As the season comes to a close, communities are looking at ways to protect shoreline areas from erosion and flooding into the fall.
Bay County has partnered with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, to offer 42,000 free sandbags to help protect homes from flooding.
Bay County Emergency Management Coordinator, Ryan Manz, said with the high water levels, homes along the shoreline and by the Saginaw and Kawkawlin rivers are in danger of flooding if the Bay area gets a gust of wind.
“Right now where they (the water levels) are sitting, if we see a 20-35 mile an hour wind. We are going to see a fairly large impact, and that’s without any increased rainfall.”
Manz said he doesn’t expect the water levels to go down anytime soon. He said the sandbags will help prevent flooding moving into the fall.
Residents looking to get sandbags should contact their city hall to arrange for sandbags.