Water appears to be very slowly subsiding in and around Zephyrhills after heavy rains this week overwhelmed local stormwater systems.
Water reached homes in the area, flooded neighborhoods and closed roads forcing the City of Zephyrhills, Pasco County, and the Florida Division of Emergency Management to jump into action to address flooding issues caused by unprecedented rainfall.
The natural progression of the stormwater that is causing the flooding starts north of the city, flows through Silver Oaks, along Eiland Boulevard to Geiger Lake and then through Arbor Oaks, then Betmar, then under Fifth Avenue to Zephyr Lake and eventually to the Hillsborough River.
Somewhere along the path, there are backups along the water route to be subject to severe flooding. North of the city, there are several flooded areas that are continually flowing into the Silver Oaks area.
“There are little closed basins throughout the city that are full with nowhere to pump and a few roads underwater, but that is a regional impact,” said Zephyrhills Public Works Director Shane LeBlanc. “All of our stuff is working fine; we’re just doing damage control here and there.”
City officials alerted residents that it is simply an abundance of water in a short time causing the issues and the city is working to manage the situation and find long-term solutions.
“The remnants of Hurricane Debby, combined with an additional 4.5 inches of rain within just two hours on Tuesday, September 3, 2024, have overwhelmed stormwater drainage systems, leading to localized flash flooding in parts of our community overall,” the statement said.”
The city pointed out problem areas that are being addressed.
“In the Silver Oaks neighborhood and other areas, including 9th Street/Henry Drive, we’re taking immediate action by pumping water away from homes while carefully monitoring downstream impacts,” the statement added. “Pumping operations throughout the Zephyrhills municipal limits and unincorporated areas will continue based on water levels both locally and downstream.
Pasco County began pumping water earlier this week from Silver Oaks to move water downstream, but has since stopped due to the potential impacts of pumping too much water to areas that can’t handle the flow.
The city reported that it is experiencing the same issues as other areas in the region where stormwater systems aren’t designed to handle such intense storms in a short period.
The city is encouraging residents to continue to report flooding-related issues within the Zephyrhills city limits, by utilizing the city’s See Click Fix service request/reporting tool and/or call the City of Zephyrhills Public Works Department, at 813-780-0022.
“I don’t want to use the word “flooded,” but I have been flooded with calls,” LeBlanc said. “Hopefully we’ll have a few dry days.”