District prepared for hurricane season, wildfires

 From the St. Johns River Water Management District:

PALATKA, Fla., May  28, 2008 — Wildfires, flooding and hurricanes can often lead to disasters in the state of Florida. Mindful of these potentially catastrophic events, the St. Johns River Water Management District has a designated Emergency Operations Center (EOC) at its Palatka headquarters where staff train and prepare for emergencies year-round.

            The District is prepared for all types of potential disasters, but its emergency response plans are based on the likelihood of a hurricane making landfall. As another hurricane season approaches, the District has an established protocol in place to prepare for flooding, one of the most likely effects of hurricanes.

            As part of its mission to abate flooding disasters, the District works in unison with local governments to develop improved flood management plans through the regulatory process and assists in a technical support role, helping communities to develop and implement mitigation strategies as appropriate.

            The District’s objective is to minimize damage from flooding and provide effective preparation for, response to and recovery from flood-related emergencies and disasters. A core mission of the District is to prevent increases in flooding and to operate and maintain its regional flood control projects located in the southern end of its 18-county region.

            The District assists local governments by issuing emergency orders that allow for the pumping of water to alleviate flooding when public health and safety are at risk. The District also may issue emergency orders to authorize repairs, replacement or restoration of public and private property, relaxing regulations that might otherwise delay activity necessary to cope with the emergency.

            In the meantime, the District has spent the past several months conducting more than 49,000 acres of prescribed fires — a season record — in anticipation of wildfires that have raged throughout central Florida this month.

            Rainfall is an average of an inch below normal for the year districtwide. Despite the arid conditions, no emergency water shortages are being considered because water supply utilities have not reported problems of meeting demand.

            Due to the recent wildfires, District land management staff has shifted its emphasis from conducting prescribed fires to assisting other agencies with extinguishing wildfires.

            Although dry conditions may increase the possibility of wildfires, lower water levels can be beneficial by providing additional water storage in ponds, lakes, wetlands and ditches during hurricane season, which begins June 1.

            The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Web site maintains flood staging information at www.weather.gov/ahps/. During a storm, the latest information is also available at the District’s Web site at www.sjrwmd.com/notices.html, or by calling the District’s toll-free hotline at 1-800-725-5922.

            For copies of the District’s “Flood Protection and Assistance” booklet or its “Neighborhood Guide to Stormwater Systems,” call (800) RALLY-22, or view the publications online at www.sjrwmd.com/publications.