Latest news on Lake Ontario region flooding

Updated Tuesday, May 2 at 5:20 p.m.​New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Tuesday afternoon that the state was rebuffed in its request to ease flooding by having more water let out of Lake Ontario through a dam."We have asked and they have refused," Cuomo said, referring to the International Joint Commission. That bi-national body regulates dams on U.S.-Canada boundary waters.According to Cuomo, the IJC is concerned that releasing more water from the Moses-Saunders dam could increase flooding downstream, in the St. Lawrence River region. He said he is pressing the IJC to change its decision.Speaking in Rochester, near the shore of Lake Ontario. Cuomo declared a state of emergency, a move designed to give agencies more flexibility and reduce bureaucratic delays. He also said that the state is assembling a response team to help communities affected by flooding."We're assembling equipment, bringing resources from across the state in case we need it," he said. The equipment includes sandbags, pumps, rescue boats and high-axle vehicles that can drive through water, he said. Some 365,000 sandbags have been sent to the region.The state also set up a hotline for area residents to get flooding forecasts and other information such as  help with sandbags or technical assistance on repairs. The number is 866.244.3839.Cuomo's remarks focused attention on the dam east of Lake Ontario.But an IJC spokesman said he was unaware of any state request to the commission. Earlier, the spokesman, Frank Bevacqua, said the commission is monitoring flooding on both sides of the dam. Setting outflows is a balancing act. Hold back too much water and areas around the lake could flood. Let a lot of water through the dam and downstream communities could flood.“Plan 2014 [which governs dam outflows] is releasing as much water as possible from Lake Ontario consistent with not creating more severe flooding around Montreal," Bevacqua told WXXI in Rochester.Buffalo broke a 142-year-old record for rainfall Monday, according to the National Weather Service. It   reported that 1.29 inches of rain fell, causing flooding in some areas. The old record was 0.77 inches, the Buffalo News reported.The National Weather Service forecast says more rain is on the way. It expects continued showers along the southern shore of Lake Ontario, in the Buffalo and Rochester areas.The weather service warned that lakeshore flooding was possible due to a combination of high lake levels, powerful northwest winds and strong waves. A flood watch is in effect through late Wednesday afternoon.  The weather service also warned that high winds could knock down trees and power lines, creating power outages.   It issued a wind advisory in Niagara, Orleans, Monroe, Erie, Genesee and Chautauqua counties until 11 p.m. The advisory says wind speeds will hit 20 to 30 mph, with gusts up to 50 mph.   Farther east, the heavy rains flooded dozens of streets in the Canadian city of Gatineau and firefighters were going door to door Tuesday morning, asking people to evacuate their homes. As of 7 a.m., nearly 20 streets were closed and firefighters had visited approximately 300 homes, the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. reported. "With what's expected by Wednesday or Thursday we can expect even more... We just want to make sure people are aware that they have options," city spokesman Yves Malancon told the CBC. Gatineau is a northern suburb of Ottawa. Hydro Meteo, which monitors rivers in Quebec, said in a weather bulletin said that heavy rains over the past 36 hours have swelled streams and rivers in many areas, including Quebec City. Some rivers were above flood levels. Monday, May 1 Jim Peer's garage is almost a hundred feet from the Lake Ontario shoreline, but on Monday, it was covered in water. "Since we've been here, we've never seen anything like this," he said, surveying the scene in Greece, N.Y., near Rochester. Waves whipped up by a storm tore down his sandbags and spilled into his yard. Sounds from the Lake Ontario shoreline As he and his neighbors used pumps and hoses to get water out of flooded crawlspaces, his wife, Heidi, said the flood has taken an emotional toll. "Now you start wondering, is this something that we have to look forward to every spring? When a northeast storm comes in?"   Communities along the south shore of Lake Ontario are feeling the impact of flood waters, and heavy rains continue to threaten the area. Related news: New York town fights to protect barrier beach. On Edgemere Drive in Greece, lawns and driveways were littered with debris, silt -- and even fish. Residents were cleaning up their properties. Meanwhile, officials worried about the rain and floodwaters overwhelming local stormwater systems. Town Supervisor Bill Rilich said that if the sewer system becomes compromised, they may have to shut off water to people living along the lake. Farther west, officials in Niagara County and emergency crews were working to remediate damage. Areas hit by moderate to severe flooding include the towns of Olcott and Wilson, along with other areas along the shoreline. The National Weather Service has issued a flood watch from 2 p.m. Monday into the evening for much of the region. Showers and thunderstorms may produce anywhere from 1 to 2 inches of rain, and there is the possibility of severe weather early Monday evening. National Weather Service Meteorologist Jim Mitchell said the lake is about 15 inches above normal and is expected to rise another 3-4 inches, depending on how much rain the area receives this week. He expects residents to be dealing with flooding into "the foreseeable future," as it will takes quite a while for all that water to subside. New York State Senator Pamela Helming (R-Canandaigua) was among the officials calling on Gov. Andrew Cuomo to help with the unprecedented flooding of Lake Ontario. Helming wants the governor to issue a state of emergency in flooded areas so towns and villages can obtain federal aid.  "We need to do something to provide relief," she said. "What’s the message that we're sending to all these property owners and business owners? And what’s the messages were sending about the protection of our lake? Sorry, we’re just going to stand by and do nothing?" Some officials and residents blame flooding and erosion along Lake Ontario on a new plan that manages lake levels. Experts, including the Army Corps of Engineers, disagree. They say months of heavy snow and rain caused the high waters, but they acknowledge that the management plan is likely to bring more frequent floods in the future. The plan, which took effect in January, was established by the International Joint Commission. That U.S./Canada agency helps to regulate the Great Lakes, and governs dams on boundary waters. IJC officials have said most of the problem with the high water levels is due to heavy precipitation over the last couple of months. Marian Hetherly of WBFO and Caitlyn White and Randy Gorbman of WXXI contributed to this story. This story will be updated throughout the day. Copyright 2017 Great Lakes Today. To see more, visit Great Lakes Today.