Several areas around the city are seeing flooding issues thanks to above-average rainfall the area has received this year, Jeff Weatherford, the city’s Public Services director, told the City Council at its meeting on Wednesday, November 4.
He spoke about several areas that have flooding problems because of the 27-28 inches of rain received in the Apopka area this year.
One area that is most visible to the public is the retention pond located adjacent to Piedmont-Wekiwa Road at the southeast intersection with Semoran Boulevard (State Road 436).
That area is connected with Border Lake just east on the south side of SR 436, along with Lake Cortez that is across SR 436 from Border Lake near the Orange-Seminole county line.
Water from Border Lake is creeping toward SR 436, Weatherford said.
“We’re probably one really good storm from (water) having an effect on 436,” he said.
Weatherford said that some people think the city is pumping water from Border Lake to Lake Cortez, but that isn’t happening, he said. “No water is being pumped from Border Lake to Lake Cortez. Not a single drop,” Weatherford said.
The city currently has two large pumps removing water from the retention pond at SR 436 and Piedmont-Wekiwa Road. The water is being pumped to the city’s wastewater treatment plant on Cleveland Street.
Mayor Bryan Nelson said he asked Weatherford to give the presentation as the city looks to solve the issues, especially with in the Border Lake area.
“We’re trying to work where we can and come up with solutions,” Nelson said. “There aren’t any real good solutions. It’s a challenge.”
Weatherford said the problem is simple, but the solution is not.
“Where do we put the water? There’s nowhere for it to go.”
To learn more about what happened at the City Council meeting, read the full story beginning on page 1A of the Friday, November 6, issue of The Apopka Chief. Subscribe today!
