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Hurricane Preparations Include Landscaping

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You have your hurricane supplies ready and emergency plan in place, but have you forgotten about your outdoor living space? Many residents work hard creating beautiful yards but living in Florida means we live with hurricanes. There is no way to completely protect your landscape from the effects of a severe storm, but there are some things you can do to minimize potential damage.

When a storm is approaching take time to mow your yard. This may seem unimportant at the time, but it will make debris clean-up easier and you have one less thing to think about post-storm. Also, once the rain starts it may be days or even weeks before you can safely operate a lawn mower through the saturated soil and grass.

Do not prune trees and leave debris on site if a storm is imminent. It is better to take a chance and leave the tree intact if you cannot get the debris off site before the storm. Remove coconuts from coconut palm trees and harvest fruits from other trees that are mature enough to be picked. Branches and other debris become dangerous projectiles during a storm. If you have waited until the last minute to trim large branches, store them in your garage or another safe place away from the wind.

Support small trees and tall plants with sturdy stakes driven at least 8-inches into the ground. You can also lay arches and trellises on the ground and anchor them with a rope or wire. Masses of heavy vines growing on fences can pull fencing over in high winds. If the vines are extensive you may want to trim or remove them altogether.

In addition to wind damage, you may be faced with flooded areas of your yard for several days or weeks. Flooded conditions can seriously impact water-intolerant plants leading to fruit drop, wilting and root rot. Saturated soil coupled with high winds lead to uprooted trees, especially trees with shallow root systems. Sprinkler systems should be in the off mode. This includes irrigation systems with a rain shut-off device. You can reset your system to automatic when the soil dries out.

Clear house gutters of leaves, branches, and other debris to ensure water from heavy rains has free movement away from the house. Make sure gutters are firmly attached and directing water away from the home. If there are no gutters and the water pours off the roof in a concentrated area, consider placing pavers or rocks in the runoff area to reduce soil erosion.

Before the storm arrives, check surrounding areas to ensure there are no blockages that may prevent drainage. Clear debris from areas where water will flow like storm drains and swale areas. After the storm, check these areas again for possible blockages.

We may get lucky and avoid a hurricane this year, but it is better to be safe and prepared for the worst. Take time before the storm to protect yourself, your family, and your property from potential damage.

3 men

It Takes 3

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Man-made stormwater ponds are attractive enhancements to many residential communities and businesses within the Lake Worth Drainage District (LWDD). More importantly, these waterbodies serve an important public safety purpose as they are part of the overall flood control system.

When it rains, stormwater flows into the retention pond and, if needed for flood control, out through the pond’s discharge control structure into the LWDD canal. Most of the time this drainage occurs unnoticed by the average individual. However, during a severe storm, flooding in streets, sidewalks, and driveways may occur. This nuisance flooding may cause concern, but it is important to note these low-lying areas are designed as secondary detention areas to protect buildings and homes from flooding.

Within LWDD, flood control is a shared responsibility and achieved through an interconnected, 3-tiered drainage system governed by 3 unique groups of people. Through communication and coordination, these 3 groups can provide effective flood control. The groups are identified as:

  • Neighborhood drainage systems operated by property owners or residential associations
  • Secondary drainage systems operated by LWDD or municipalities
  • Primary drainage system operated by the South Florida Water Management District

Water managers in charge of primary and secondary systems are continually monitoring the weather and canal levels to proactively respond to changes in canal elevations. In anticipation of a heavy rainfall event, water managers will make operational adjustments to maintain appropriate water elevations for flood control. Additionally, throughout the year routine canal maintenance is conducted to provide unobstructed flow in the canal channel and access along the canal rights-of-way. The inspection of control structures, pumps and other infrastructure is also conducted, and repairs or replacements are made.

Property owners and residential associations have a similar role regarding their neighborhood drainage system. They must maintain their drainage infrastructure to ensure that inlets, storm drains, pipes, and discharge control structures are free of potential blockages and working as designed, thus maintaining the flow of stormwater away from their property. An annual inspection of the drainage infrastructure should be made, and repairs should be completed before the start of the storm season on June 1.

Neighborhood drainage systems with operable discharge control structures can request permission from LWDD to open their structure prior to a severe storm. This will provide additional onsite storage capacity within the stormwater pond. Additionally, this group should register with LWDD the individuals who are responsible for the maintenance of the neighborhood drainage system and control structure operation. It is recommended that communities update this registration at least once a year to verify the contact information is current. This will ensure that important weather alerts and instructions are being sent to the appropriate designated individuals. A registration form can be found on LWDD’s website at https://lwddnet.wpengine.com/2296-2.

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Hurricane Season Is Almost Here!

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Florida’s hurricane season begins on June 1 and ends November 30. Based on historical weather records dating back to the 1950s, a typical season will average 12 tropical storms with sustained winds of at least 39 miles per hour, of which six may turn into hurricanes with winds of 74 miles per hour or more. In addition to high winds, hurricanes and tropical storms can bring torrential rainfall. These severe weather events can produce localized flooding that can be exacerbated by improperly maintained drainage systems.

Residential communities and businesses can help mitigate the impacts of severe storms with a few simple steps. One of the most important steps is the regular inspection and maintenance of drainage infrastructure. Drainage infrastructure can include inlets, discharge control structures, connecting pipes, and ponds. Proper maintenance of these facilities will ensure the unobstructed flow of stormwater and fully operational equipment.

Secondly, residential communities and businesses with operable discharge control structures can request authorization from the Lake Worth Drainage District (LWDD) to open these structures prior to the storm. Lowering pond levels provides additional storage for excess stormwater.

LWDD recommends establishing a Drainage Committee whose role is to provide for the maintenance and operation of the community or business’s drainage system. Drainage Committees may consist of board members, residents, and/or property managers. All members of the Drainage Committee should register with LWDD on its website at www.lwdd.net. This registration process ensures LWDD water managers know who to contact and where to send important weather alerts and instructions.

While weather predictions are becoming more sophisticated, forecasters are still unable to predict exactly where a storm will make landfall. The likelihood of flooding depends on several variables such as rainfall volume, ground moisture, and local terrain. No system, no matter how well designed, is 100% flood-proof. However, good maintenance practices are the first step to protecting you from potential flooding. Find more information about community flood control on our website https://lwddnet.wpengine.com/property-managers-hoa.

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May 13th Board Meeting Via Electronic Communication

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Notice is hereby given that the Lake Worth Drainage District will conduct an electronic Regular Board Meeting utilizing communications media technology due to the COVID-19 Health Emergency on Wednesday, May 13, 2020, at 8:30 A.M. The purpose of the meeting is to transact any and all business to come before the District’s Board of Supervisors. Communications media technology will be used to constitute a quorum of the District Board of Supervisors and public participation will occur using communications media technology.

Due to these extraordinary times, the District’s Board of Supervisors will not be meeting in person; rather, the meeting will be held via videoconference. Pursuant to Executive Order 20-69 issued on March 20, 2020, by Governor Ron DeSantis, “Local government bodies may utilize communications media technology, such as telephonic and video conferencing, as provided in Section 120.54(5)(b)2, Florida Statutes.” Public input may be made in advance by email or during the meeting via video conference. Instructions are provided at the bottom of this notice. This meeting will be live-streamed and video recorded.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR VIEWING AND PROVIDING PUBLIC COMMENT:

May 13, 2020, Regular Board Meeting of the Lake Worth Drainage District Board of Supervisors will be a webinar conducted electronically (or “virtually”) with no public in attendance in the district office. Members of the public may view the meeting electronically by visiting https://www.gotomeet.me/LWDD/mayboardmeeting. Please choose this option for viewing the meeting if you do not plan to provide public comments before or during the meeting. Members of the public also may listen to the meeting by telephone by dialing +1 (224) 501-3316 and entering Access Code: 802-561-877. A copy of the meeting agenda and meeting materials are available on the District’s website at https://lwddnet.wpengine.com/board-of-supervisors/meeting-agendas-minutes.

Members of the public may provide written comments (1) to be read during the meeting or (2) to be entered into the record without being read during the meeting. To do this, email your comments to info@lwdd.net by noon on Tuesday, May 12, 2020. Please provide the title, “Written Comments, LWDD May 13, 2020 Board Meeting” and provide your name (required), address, and email address.

If you desire for your written comments to be read into the record during the meeting, please indicate so and limit your written comment to 300 words. Only written comments of 300 or fewer words will be read into the record during the meeting. All other written comments received by the deadline will be entered into the meeting record and distributed to the District governing board and the appropriate staff before the start of the meeting.

Members of the public who opt to comment during the electronic meeting – rather than providing written comments before the meeting — may do so provided they register in advance by contacting Reagan Walker, Assistant Executive Director, rwalker@lwdd.net, 561-498-5363 by noon on Tuesday, May 12, 2020.

In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, any persons with disabilities needing a special accommodation to participate in this proceeding should contact: Reagan Walker, Assistant Executive Director, rwalker@lwdd.net, 561-498-5363, no later than three (3) business days prior to the meeting.

For additional information or assistance, please contact the following before the meeting: Reagan Walker, Assistant Executive Director, rwalker@lwdd.net, 561-498-5363.