The annual Atlantic hurricane season has begun, and now is a good time for all of us living in Florida to begin proactively preparing for whatever nature may send our way this season.
The South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) works year-round to protect communities from flooding and ensure South Florida's regional flood control system is ready for storms, whether that's a typical summer rainstorm or a more intense storm event such as a hurricane.
South Florida has an interconnected drainage system, and flood control in South Florida is a shared responsibility between the District, county and city governments, local drainage districts, HOAs, and residents.
Did you know there are many precautions that residents can take to prepare their homes for hurricane season and help reduce the risk of flooding in their communities?
- Make sure drainage gates, ditches and swales in your neighborhood are clear of debris.
- Trim your trees and remove dead vegetation in your yard. Do not trim trees if a major storm is in the forecast.
- Check your community retention pond or lake for obstructed pipes and contact the appropriate authority for removal (could be your HOA, city, county, or local drainage district).
- Find out who is responsible for drainage in your community. Visit SFWMD.gov/FloodControl.
- Make a personal plan for hurricane preparedness. Learn more at FloridaDisaster.org.
If a storm approaches the region, the SFWMD will keep the public informed on its operations and flood control efforts. SFWMD water managers and field station staff may take a range of steps to ensure the primary system can receive rainwater from local drainage systems. You may see canals or lakes lower than normal before storms as water managers temporarily “draw down” the system to create more room for anticipated storm water.
Since local governments, drainage districts, and HOAs are primarily responsible for drainage in your community, we also encourage them to ensure their pumps and systems are routinely tested and ready to handle storm events.