Hurricane Milton
The South Florida Water Management District (District) operates the regional water management system and we are proactively preparing for potentially heavy rainfall from Hurricane Milton. The District will continue to actively monitor, manage and adjust our primary water management system throughout the entire storm event. The current forecast has the storm making landfall sometime on Wednesday. Much of the Central and Southern Florida region has an interconnected water management system, and flood control is a shared responsibility between county/city governments, local drainage districts, communities (including Homeowner Associations or HOAs), and the District.
Florida Executive Order:
On October 6, 2024, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis issued Executive Order 24-215.
A state of emergency was declared for 51 counties across the State of Florida. All 16 counties in the South Florida Water Management District’s region are in Executive Order 24-215: Broward, Charlotte, Collier, Glades, Hendry, Highlands, Lee, Martin, Miami-Dade, Monroe, Okeechobee, Orange, Osceola, Palm Beach, Polk, St. Lucie counties. All residents in these counties should prepare for potential storm impacts.
SFWMD Emergency Orders:
2024-073 Emergency Order
2024-074 Emergency Order
2024-075 Emergency Order
2024-076 Emergency Order
2024-077 Emergency Order
District Actions:
- Managing our canals to allow the regional flood control system to operate at full capacity.
- Actively using flood protection gates and pumps to move water away from communities.
- Encouraging local governments, drainage operators, and communities to monitor the rainfall, ensure storm drains are cleared and prepare their systems.
- Preparing and conducting operational testing of key infrastructure including flood control gates and pump stations.
Recreational Lands:
- All SFWMD-managed lands will close on Tuesday, October 8 at 6:00pm and are scheduled to re-open on Friday, October 11 at 6:00am. If you have a reservation, email SpecialUseLicense@sfwmd.gov with any questions.
October Governing Board Meeting:
The District's October Governing Board Meeting scheduled for Thursday, October 10 at 9:00am has been postponed. The meeting will be re-scheduled for Thursday, October 17 at 1:00pm and the meeting will be held virtually.
Reminders for Residents and Visitors:
- If you face life-threatening flooding or are in imminent danger, call 9-1-1.
- Avoid driving through flooded areas. When in doubt, turn around.
- Ensure debris, trash cans, and other items are secured and cannot clog drainage ways.
- Monitor any announcements from your County's Emergency Operations Center.
- Do not drink, wade, or swim in floodwaters.
- Read the infographic Rain Drain: What to Expect in Your Neighborhood When It Rains for a close-up look at the interconnected drainage system. Flooded roads, swales and ditches are expected during and after heavy rain events. In the event water is impacting your home, please report the flooding to your local drainage operator. Type in your address and look up your local drainage operator at SFWMD.gov/FloodControl.
Helpful Tools:
- For real-time water levels upstream and downstream of hundreds of water control structures, flow volume and more: Site Status Reports
- For real-time data about watersheds, structures, sites, and more: DBHYDRO Data
- For weather information: SFWMD.gov/Weather
- For Milton resources: https://www.noaa.gov/milton
- For Florida Division of Emergency Management information about evacuation zones, Know Your Zone, Emergency Kits, and more: Florida Hurricane Guide | Florida Disaster
County Emergency Updates:
- Be sure to follow your County's Emergency Operations Center for the latest local emergency updates.
SFWMD Operations: