West Palm Beach, FL - With the memory of Hurricane Irma's devastating impacts throughout the region last September still on Floridians' minds, the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) is already well underway preparing to protect its 8.1 million residents from potential flooding from heavy rainfall or hurricanes this coming wet season.
One example of this is in Lee County, where the District is helping the county clear trees from the banks of the Imperial River, which is not in SFWMD's regional flood control system but is a major route to convey floodwaters away from the Bonita Springs area. The District also recently began clearing trees and vegetation from the banks of the Golden Gate Canal, a major flood control conveyance canal serving Collier County residents.
"This District never stops working to protect residents from flooding, as our staff is constantly preparing the system for the heavy rains that nature provides us during South Florida's wet season," said SFWMD Governing Board Chairman Federico Fernandez. "By working with residents, as well as local and county drainage authorities throughout the year, this agency is able to meet the wet season head-on."
South Florida on average receives roughly 36 inches of rainfall during the annual wet season that typically runs from June through October. This is about 70 percent of the average amount of rainfall received for the entire year.
As a result of the interconnected system of drainage in South Florida, flood control is a shared responsibility between the District, county and city governments, local drainage districts, homeowners associations and residents.
SFWMD Governing Board members are urging their constituents to start taking simple steps now to prepare for the upcoming hurricane season.
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Click on the image to view a graphic explaining drainage in South Florida. |
You can help these systems work efficiently by making sure drainage grates and other parts of your neighborhood drainage system are clear of debris. Grass clippings and fallen leaves can quickly slow drainage in your neighborhood.
SFWMD operates and maintains the regional water management system known as the Central and Southern Florida Project, which was authorized by Congress more than 60 years ago to protect residents and businesses from floods and droughts. This primary system of canals and natural waterways connects to community drainage districts and hundreds of smaller neighborhood systems to effectively manage floodwaters during heavy rain.
Water managers are hard at work preparing the entire regional flood control system, encompassing more than 2,000 miles of canals with 70 water control structures, for the expected rainy season.
The District is currently undertaking several maintenance projects to clear trees, vegetation and other debris from canal banks and rights of way. These trees can fall into canals during strong storms and block the flow of water, causing flooding. Canal tree-clearing projects are ongoing in the C-100A Canal in Miami-Dade County. The District also plans to begin a tree clearing project in May to improve safety and flood protection along the C-15 Canal, which protects hundreds of thousands of Palm Beach County residents from flooding.
For updates on SFWMD's flood control preparations:
