Preparing for Hurricane Season

The annual Atlantic hurricane season has officially begun and now is a good time for all of us living in Florida to ensure we are prepared for whatever nature may send our way this season.

DID YOU KNOW: South Florida has an interconnected drainage system, and flood control in South Florida is a shared responsibility between the South Florida Water Management District (District), county and city governments, local drainage districts, HOAs, and residents.

PROTECTING OUR COMMUNITIES: The District 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.

This primary system of canals and natural waterways connects to community drainage districts and hundreds of smaller neighborhood systems to effectively safeguard South Florida’s water resources and provide flood control for over 9 million South Floridians.

PROACTIVELY PREPARING FOR HURRICANE SEASON: 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. These proactive measures include:

• Making sure drainage gates, ditches and swales in your neighborhood are clear of debris.
• Trimming your trees and removing dead vegetation in your yard. Do not trim trees if a major storm is in the forecast.
• Checking your community retention pond or lake for obstructed pipes and contacting the appropriate authority for removal (could be your HOA, city, county, or local drainage district).
• Finding out who is responsible for drainage in your community. Visit SFWMD.gov/FloodControl.

KEEPING THE PUBLIC INFORMED: The District continuously monitors weather conditions and forecasts, making necessary operational adjustments in advance of and in response to rainfall. If a storm approaches the region, the District will keep the public informed on its operations and flood control efforts. District 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.

We encourage you to visit SFWMD.gov/FloodControl to learn more about the steps you can take to prepare for hurricane season.