From the St. John's River Water Management District
Thirty days and counting...
Ahead of the Atlantic hurricane season, key partners in hurricane preparedness and flood management gathered at the Central Florida Coordination meeting hosted by the St. Johns River Water Management District (District).
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The Atlantic hurricane season starts on June 1st and concludes on November 30th. The season's peak is typically mid-August through late October, with September 10th being the historical peak date for storm activity.
Representatives from the South Florida Water Management District, local municipalities, county governments, and state planning agencies — including the Florida Flood Hub and the East Central Florida Regional Planning Council — met to share updates and discuss strategies to strengthen regional resilience.
The meeting, held at the District’s Apopka Service Center, focused on enhancing communication, sharing key updates, and fostering interagency collaboration to improve preparedness and response to flooding risks posed by hurricanes and severe weather events in Central Florida.
“Effective hurricane preparedness begins long before the first storm forms,” said the District’s Chief Resilience Officer Tom Frick. “This meeting underscores our commitment to working with regional partners to leverage resources and expertise. Our shared commitment to resilience is essential for protecting Central Florida before, during, and after storm events.”
Frick provided an update on the District’s real-time flood forecasting model, which is scheduled for completion in 2027. The model will offer water level and flow predictions up to 10 days in advance, helping local governments manage flood risks. Its success relies on collaboration with local authorities to integrate existing stormwater models and develop effective public alert systems.
Chris Kinslow, the District’s emergency coordinating officer, emphasized the importance of effective communication during emergencies and reviewed flood control structure operations in the Upper St. Johns River Basin and the Upper Ocklawaha River Basin.
Local government representatives discussed resident communication strategies, reviewed current flood management efforts and projects and identified opportunities for stronger emergency coordination. With Central Florida’s complex topography and growing population, collaborative planning remains critical to minimizing flood impacts and ensuring public safety.
Residents are encouraged to support community preparedness by taking proactive steps before and during hurricane season, such as keeping storm drains clear of debris, reporting clogged ditches to local governments, retrofitting buildings for water resistance, and securing flood insurance through the National Flood Insurance Program.
For more information on the District's role in flood protection, storm preparedness, and response, visit www.sjrwmd.com/storm.
New to Florida or need a refresher on how stormwater systems? Learn more about stormwater design, management, and its limitations at www.sjrwmd.com/education/stormwater-systems.
St. Johns River Water Management District staff are committed to ensuring the sustainable use and protection of water resources for the benefit of the District's residents and the state of Florida. The District is one of five in Florida managing groundwater and surface water supplies. It encompasses all or part of 18 northeast and east-central Florida counties. District headquarters are in Palatka, and staff are also available to serve the public at Apopka, Jacksonville, and Palm Bay service centers.
For more information about the District, please visit www.sjrwmd.com.
