District diverts floodwaters to protect people, property in floodstricken Jacksonville

PALATKA, Fla., Sept. 11, 2017 — Massive Hurricane Irma brought dramatic flooding across Florida, from the Keys all the way to the St. Johns River in Jacksonville. On Monday, the St. Johns River Water Management District began diverting water from the Upper St. Johns River Basin Project to reduce floodwaters flowing north, providing flood protection for people and property downstream, particularly in hard-hit Jacksonville.

To increase water storage capacity in the Upper St. Johns River Basin in advance of the storm, the district had opened flood-control structures in the Upper St. Johns River Basin Project. On Monday, the district closed Structure 96B (S-96B, or the “Stick Marsh”) and four gates at S-161 and S-161A (Jane Green) to help alleviate extreme flooding in the river’s lower basin in Jacksonville.

By doing so, there are currently no flows to the St. Johns River via these structures, which reduced flows to the river by 3,300 cubic feet per second.

Two other structures, S-96 and S-157, were opened on Monday to temporarily divert floodwaters to the Indian River Lagoon.

The diversion is for a short-term duration only to address extreme flooding conditions in the St. Johns River.

For continued updates about district operations, visit www.sjrwmd.com.