It’s been a month since Hurricane Milton swept through Ridge Manor, Florida, and the aftermath is still haunting the community. Residents are grappling with the consequences of flooding that has left homes and yards submerged in water. Many have lost cherished possessions, and the road to recovery seems longer than anyone anticipated.
A spokesperson for Hernando County has shed light on the situation, explaining that the flooding is primarily caused by the Withlacoochee River. This river has been severely impacted by not just Hurricane Milton, but also by Hurricane Helene, which occurred shortly before. In fact, homes in Ridge Manor are still underwater weeks after the initial reports of flooding came in. As Dan Stickney pointed out, roads like Lakewood Drive are still submerged, affecting roughly 150 to 200 acres. It’s hard to believe that such devastation could occur in an area that hadn’t seen significant water in 30 to 40 years. Stickney’s disbelief resonates with many residents, as they try to comprehend the scale of the flooding.
Unprecedented Flooding Levels
The flooding in Ridge Manor is unprecedented. According to the Southwest Florida Water Management District (SWFWMD), water levels have reached heights not seen since the 1930s. Dr. Mark Fulkerson, chief professional engineer at SWFWMD, noted that these levels even surpassed those recorded in 1960, a year that led to the formation of the Water Management District in 1961. Some areas south of State Road 50 and west of 301 have experienced up to 12 feet of flooding!
The Withlacoochee River is fed by the Green Swamp, a vast undeveloped area situated between Dade City and Lakeland. Hurricane Milton, arriving at the tail end of the rainy season, exacerbated an already precarious situation. The storm dropped a staggering 16 inches of rain, causing the river to crest just eight days later. Even three weeks after the hurricane, neighborhoods west of 301 and south of State Road 50 are still dealing with standing water that remains at about 5 feet deep.
What’s worse is that these neighborhoods are built around three low-lying lakes—Geneva, Elizabeth, and Francis—which connect to the Withlacoochee River during flood stages. When the river overflowed into these lakes, it created a nasty cycle of trapped water as the river began to recede. To tackle this ongoing issue, SWFWMD, Hernando County, and the Florida Division of Emergency Management have deployed four pumps to siphon water from these lakes back into the river. This pumping operation has been ongoing for two weeks, and, thankfully, water levels have already decreased by about 3.5 to 4 feet.
Calls for Better Communication and Preparedness
As the community rallies to recover, questions linger about preparedness for future hurricanes. Residents like Stickney’s father are calling for improved communication and readiness measures. They’ve faced a storm whose effects were not anticipated despite the severity and unusual nature of the event. It’s a sentiment echoed throughout the area, with many feeling blindsided by the intensity of the flooding.
Looking at the bigger picture, the implications of climate change cannot be ignored. Studies indicate that climate change has intensified hurricanes, contributing to heavier rainfall and stronger winds. With warmer ocean waters feeding these storms, conditions are ripe for more frequent and severe weather events. In fact, increased temperatures in the Gulf of Mexico have made such intense storms like Milton more likely.
As this community continues to navigate the aftermath of Hurricane Milton, the need for climate action and better preparedness becomes ever more pressing. The experience of Ridge Manor serves as a stark reminder of the challenges posed by climate change and the importance of planning for a future that may be filled with more unpredictable storms.