August 2017
It's Raining! What Should I Expect?
Knowing what to expect can help ease flooding anxiety  
Road, swale and sidewalk act as secondary detention areas
When lake elevations rise due to rain, stormwater will flow through the community's discharge control structure and into a LWDD canal. Without human intervention, stormwater continually discharges from the community until the designed water elevation in the lake is achieved. During a severe storm, flooding in streets, sidewalks and driveways is expected. These low-lying areas are designed as secondary detention areas to protect homes from flooding. However, flood control does not mean "flood proof." Even with quality flood control, homes can flood if rainfall exceeds the drainage design. The following is a description of the possible effects from heavy rainfall that property owners might expect within the boundaries of the District.   
  • 5 to 6 inches of rainfall in a 24-hour period; expect standing water in yards, swales and ditches. Crowns of community roads should remain dry and passable.  
  • 7 to 9 inches of rainfall in a 72-hour period; expect community swales, roads, lawns and driveways to flood as designed. Finished floors of homes should remain dry. 
  • 15 to 23 inches or more of rainfall in a 72-hour period; expect some houses and businesses to experience finished floor flooding.
Find more information on community flood control at www.lwdd.net.
Lets Keep The Water Flowing
Email LWDD if maintenance in the canal system is needed
LWDD removing trash from canal
LWDD makes every effort to provide a well-maintained canal system and residents can help with this mission. Report issues  that may affect flood control such as: canal erosion, bank washouts, trash, unauthorized use of the right-of-way and improperly maintained access gates. Email the location, description of the issue, and photo if possible, to  [email protected]. LWDD staff will  prioritize and address issues based on the potential threat to affective flood control.
Spanish Language Video On Flood Control
Increasing outreach to the LWDD community
Click on photo to watch video
LWDD has recently added bilingual resources to its website. In cooperation with Carlos Mahecha, Executive Director at Sinclair Broadcast  Group and Azteca 48 West Palm Beach, LWDD is able to provide a Spanish l anguage video on its operations and community flood control. Additionally, the District has added "Google Translate" to it website which allows the user to translate the site into their preferred language. The video called "Local Flood Control" and other bilingual materials can be found at www.lwdd.net/resources/videos-publications#toggle-id-1.  
Regional And Local Drainage Systems
Two different agencies help provide flood control
LWDD Headquarters, Delray Beach
Lake Worth Drainage District ( LWDD) and South Florida Water Management District ( SFWMD) have similar roles, but they are not the same. Both entities operate canals to provide flood control but differ in size and responsibility. SFWMD is one of Florida's 
five regional water management districts and oversees the water resources in the southern half of the State. It covers 16 counties from Orlando to the Florida Keys.

LWDD is a local, independent special taxing district. It encompasses over 200 square miles in southeastern Palm Beach County and provides services to 13 municipalities. In conjunction with neighborhood drainage systems, LWDD is able to discharge excess stormwater during major rain events to SFWMD's regional canals which release water to the ocean for flood control. Through the coordinated efforts of LWDD and SFWMD, flood control is achieved for the residents and businesses in southeastern Palm Beach County.
H2O Fun Fact
Water can tell you if an egg is fresh. P lace the egg in a glass of water. If the egg lays on its side at the bottom, it is still quite fresh. If the egg stands upright on the bottom, it is still fine to eat, but should be eaten soon. If the egg floats to the top, it's past its prime. 
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Pencil Us In

September 4 

District Office Closed

September 13 

Board of Supervisors Meeting

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Picture This!
Removal of trash dumped in LWDD canal takes resources.

That's a Good Question
What is the 'bleed down orifice' in a discharge control structure?

Did You Enjoy this Issue?
Please visit our  on-line archive for past newsletter issues at  www.lwdd.net/resources/videos-publications.

If you have any suggestions or comments on this issue, or have questions or topics you would like us to cover in future issues, please email us [email protected].
Contact Us
Lake Worth Drainage District
13081 S. Military Trail
Delray Beach, FL 33484
Phone: (561) 498-5363
Fax: (561) 495-9694
Email: [email protected]
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