Martin County will wait until water levels recede to repair a drainage breach as flooding in the Trailside community threatens cattle and access to farm property. The county and the Hobe-St. Lucie Conservancy District jointly determined that repairs should wait because hauling and placing sand under current conditions would be unsafe and could damage the levee.
The county said repair material could wash into the irrigation canal before crews establish a stable repair. Staff will continue monitoring water levels and site conditions with the conservancy district, and repairs will proceed when crews can work safely without compromising the levee. The county recently acquired approximately 315 acres in the area, known as the Elise J.
A county spokesperson said establishing access has been the immediate priority so staff can assess conditions and respond. The county is also evaluating longer-term options to improve outflow and reduce future flooding risks.
At Hungryland Farms, much of the pasture used for a 20-acre rotational grazing system for Florida Cracker cattle is underwater, according to owner Melissa. The flooding has forced the cattle onto the elevated driveway, and the farm is concerned about losing access. Some cattle have struggled to navigate the water. “We're starting to lose big sections of the driveway. We have them concentrated up the house pad, but if we lose too much more, we're just going to have to figure out a way to evacuate them somewhere,” she said.
The farm is bringing in hay and hay cubes to maintain the cattle’s regular diet while monitoring potential health risks from floodwaters. Melissa said the farm has an emergency contact with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service if the animals face imminent danger.
Kyla Shay, president of the Trailside Homeowners Association, said the community’s drainage system serves 41 lots and designated neighboring properties. She said water from outside that system is flowing through county-owned land and other neighboring properties into the community’s southern canal. Flooding has reached areas near Bridge Road and an electrical substation, she said.
Shay said some electrical transformers are partially underwater and submerged septic systems have left homeowners unable to shower or do laundry. She also said the health department warned her that standing water could compromise residents’ wells with bacteria. The association has been working with water engineers and other experts to understand how long the flooding could last, she said.