S. Fla. Water Management District Working To Avoid Flooding
WEST PALM BEACH (CBSMiami) – The South Florida Water Management District has been hard at work in an effort to prevent any severe flooding caused by heavy rainfall from Tropical Storm Isaac.
The SFWMD started preparations on Tuesday. They started lowering drainage canals, inspecting levees and testing pumps on Tuesday in order to maximize storage for storm water runoff.
With up to several inches of rain forecast, canals and water control structures in Miami Dade-County and the Big Cypress Basin in Collier County have been placed in the low range. The structures will open as needed to maintain canals at levels that will help local drainage.
The lower the district's regional drainage canals go in advance of the storm, the more room for getting rid of potential flood waters that Isaac could bring.
Water levels and flows are monitored around the clock by field staff and the District's Operations Control Room in West Palm Beach.
Despite their best efforts, SFWMD spokesman Randy Smith said Saturday if a canal gets blocked with storm debris or if too much rain comes too fall in a concentrated area, flooding can be inevitable.
The district anticipates getting between 2 and 5 inches of rainfall in Miami-Dade County and 1 to 3 inches of rainfall in Broward and Palm Beach County's starting Sunday. Those totals are subject to change depending on the eventual track and intensity of the storm.
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