OSCEOLA COUNTY UPDATE FOR HURRICANE IAN: MONDAY
Published on October 03, 2022
IAN-09
Osceola County, Florida – State water managers who are modeling the system of lakes and canals that carry Hurricane Ian's flood waters away from Osceola County say that water levels are stabilizing in many areas but residents in critical areas must remain on the alert for the possibility of flooding.
The South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) reported at Monday's County Commission meeting that discharges from Lake Hart (in Orange County) into Lake Ajay have been stopped so that the water levels there can stabilize.
In the meantime, East Lake Tohopekaliga is projected to stabilize in the coming week, about a foot higher than before Ian. Model data assumes no rain for the "foreseeable future."
Levels are also decreasing on Boggy Creek as inflows slow, which will help with levels on East Lake -- where about 4,500 residents were warned of flooding and the potential to evacuate on Sunday.
West Lake Tohopekaliga, which impacts the City of Kissimmee and the Oaks, is expected to crest about 0.75 feet above current levels, according to the latest models.
The S-61 water control structure, which moves water from Lake Tohopekaliga into Cypress Lake, is wide open and SFWMD is using the adjacent boat lock to allow even more water to flow through the system -- "a deviation from what would normally pass through the system."
Levels on Shingle and Reedy creeks, which feed into our regional lakes, are also decreasing. Shingle Creek hit a historic high on October 1st at approximately elevation 64.5 feet, forcing the mandatory evacuation of Good Samaritan Village.
At the top of the hydrologic system on the Alligator Chain of Lakes, about five times the normal water is flowing between the S-58 and S-61 structures -- which appear to have stabilized levels in that system, too.
SFWMD and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers have employed pumps to expedite the movement of water with more pieces of equipment expected to be added over the coming days.
“We’ve been working with state and federal water experts and they have put boots on the ground to make sure our residents are served during recovery,” said Osceola Commissioner Chairman Brandon Arrington. “I’m pleased with the way they have addressed Osceola County’s concerns about lake levels and flooding. The result has been quick action to put the resources in place to alleviate the issues many in our community have faced since Ian’s passage. In spite of rumors and misinformation, the water is flowing out of our community as efficiently as possible.”
The Toho Water Authority issued water usage advisory to help reduce strain on wastewater facilities continuing to feel the strain from the flooding caused by Hurricane Ian to maintain or re-establish normal operations. Customers should:
- Only use water when necessary
- Reduce dishwasher and clothes washer use
- Turn off irrigation systems
- Avoid contact with standing water
- Report sewer backups by contacting our customer service at 407-944-5000
Shelters - UPDATE AS OF 10-4-2022 9:48 a.m.
Three shelters are operating in the County.
- Kissimmee Civic Center (General population)
Dakin Ave., Kissimmee, FL 34741
- Events Center/Osceola Heritage Park (Special Needs, pet friendly)
1901 Chief Osceola Trail, Kissimmee, FL 34744
- Silver Spurs Arena/Osceola Heritage Park (General population, pet friendly)
1875 Silver Spur Lane, Kissimmee, FL 34744
- St. Cloud Community Center - CLOSED
3101 17th Street St. Cloud, FL 34769
If you own a restaurant or want to donate a meal for 100+ people at a shelter location, please email LSC@osceola.org to start coordinating. All meals provided to the shelter must be cooked in a licensed, inspected commercial kitchen, and the business must be registered on SunBiz. We do require proper documentation to approve the meal preparation and will grant permission once obtained by our teams. If you deliver unapproved food to a shelter, it could be turned away, and we do not want any efforts wasted by volunteers. The Red Cross and local Emergency Management Teams oversee Osceola County's shelters. The County cannot accommodate walk-up volunteers at this time. Some duties concerning shelters still require volunteer roles but volunteers will need to gain permission prior from our team to coordinate. If you are interested in learning more about these needs, please email volunteer@osceola.org
Sandbag Locations
Sandbag operations continue daily at two locations:
Schools
All Osceola schools will reopen tomorrow, Tuesday, October 4, for all students, and teachers, and staff members. Parents and students are reminded that some debris such as tree limbs and building materials may still be littered throughout the county, and some roads and streets are closed due to flooding. Please use caution when traveling to and from school. Parents are also asked for their understanding and patience as certain roads will be impassable for our school buses. Our Transportation team has been out assessing road closures and conditions since the storm passed and route adjustments are being made where required. Tomorrow when the buses begin rolling again, they will follow the safest routes, making every attempt to get as close as possible to the established bus stops. The most up-to-date information will be shared with parents and students via Bus Bulletin, and Transportation’s Parent Hotline, will be open Tuesday and Wednesday from 6 a.m. until 6 p.m., and can be reached at 407-483-3673 for specific questions. Again, patience will be required of everyone.
If your student cannot make it to school due to evacuation and/or a flooding issue, please notify your principal so the absence can be excused and a plan for learning can be enacted.
Solid Waste
Waste Management resumed regular collection service in Osceola County on Monday. Because of heavy volumes, customers are urged to leave items curbside if not serviced on the regular service day.
For more information on acceptable materials and collection guidelines, please visit WMFloridastorm.com. Osceola County will continue to provide updates on recovery as it becomes available.
Recovery Assistance
Survivors can apply for disaster assistance at disasterassistance.gov, by calling 800-621-3362 from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. Eastern Time, or by using the FEMA mobile app. If you use a relay service such as video relay service (VRS), captioned telephone service or others, give FEMA the number for that service.
Volunteers and Donations
- Clothing and Donations:
- Goodwill Vouchers will be provided for those in Red Cross shelters to allo