Myakkahatchee Creek clearing could bring some relief from potential flooding in North Port
Myakkahatchee Creek clearing could bring some relief from potential flooding in North Port
FOX 13's Kimberly Kuizon reports.
NORTH PORT, Fla. - From blocked to open, the city of North Port hopes recent work to the Myakkahatchee Creek will lessen the chances of flooding.
The backstory:
In 2022, Hurricane Ian forced people out of their homes as water rose for several days.
The City of North Port’s Public Works Director said the project is one of the most important for storm water.
Off of Sumter Boulevard in North Port, September 2022 turned neighborhoods into waterways.
"This has never really flooded back, so we didn’t expect anything really major. Ian took us all for a loop," said Krystal Salkowski.
Krystal Salkowsi and her family watched as the water continued to rise closer to their home.
"We didn’t expect it to keep creeping up the next couple of days. At some point we couldn’t see our mailboxes," she recalled.
The water stayed out of their home, but for others, Hurricane Ian brought life-altering impacts.
Local perspective:
Nearly three years later, the City of North Port hopes recent work on the Myakkahatchee Creek will reduce the risk of flooding.
"I think this project, as I said, is probably the most important project we have ever done in stormwater," said Chuck Speake the Public Works Director.
For three months, crews cleared 7,000 cubic yards of debris from 5 and a ½ miles of the Myakkahatchee Creek.
After 3,600 cubic yards of waste was cleared by cutting back invasive vegetation.
"There were blockages that were there that were 10-15 feet high. Entire Oak trees had fallen into the creek and then all the material that came down in the creek from the North had stacked up against it. The water flow had pretty much stopped at those points and the water had to go around it," said Speake.
North Port Public Works Director Chuck Speake said 193 blockages were identified in the creek post hurricane Ian.
"Those blockages in the creek slow down the water as its trying to move through the city as it slows down the water, the water that is trying to get into the creek from our neighborhoods and retention ditches and waterways then start to back up," he said.
The project cost around $3.45 million dollars. A grant from the National Resources Conservation services helped pay for $2.76 million dollars of the project.
There is still one mile left to be cleared, but it’ll have to wait until after rainy season.
Speake said it’s in an area that already has good flow.
With the blockages now clear, Speake said a big difference will be felt.
Residents like Krystal, hope it’ll work.
What's next:
"I think everybody will be on their heels and paying attention. We are all hoping Ian was a once in fifty year kind of. I think we made those 50 year 100 year marks. I’m hoping we won’t see it again, but time will tell," she said.
The Source: FOX 13's Kimberly Kuizon conducted the interviews for this story.
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