The North St. Lucie River Water Control District held an emergency meeting Monday after last week’s flooding submerged homes, farms and roads in western St. Lucie County. Later Monday, Port St. Lucie Councilman David Pickett urged the city to accelerate a stormwater study planned for 2029.
Farmers, residents and representatives of Save the Chimps attended the district meeting to seek answers and long-term drainage solutions. District President Steve Cassens said the existing system has limits during extreme rainfall. “We can manage water maybe 3, 4, 5, 6 inches. We can’t manage water in the quantities that we got.” District officials discussed examining engineering options as part of a possible long-range plan.
They also addressed waterway and ditch maintenance, including concerns about a creek in Western Fort Pierce that serves as a primary drainage route. The district said it systematically cleans ditches within its boundaries.
At Monday’s Port St. Lucie City Council meeting, Pickett said he had sent two memos to the city manager addressing floodwaters and wanted the stormwater study expedited rather than waiting until 2029. He also raised concerns about flooding in Tradition and called for examining stormwater systems before distributing certain stormwater fees to community development districts.
Justin Akerley, who helps operate Saint Lucie Farm Preserve in west Fort Pierce, attended both meetings. He told council members he believes continued development is adding pressure to drainage infrastructure and urged city leaders to reconsider development’s effects on flooding. “I’ve got friends that have calves dying that are flooded, they can’t get out,” he said. “It’s a terrible, terrible situation for everybody.
“There’s people that have lost their homes.” Akerley and Michael Hale operate the working agritourism farm, which produces hay, cut flowers, beef and assorted vegetables. The farm also hosts community agricultural events.
Conditions had significantly improved at Save the Chimps, a sanctuary in western St. Lucie County where staff used drones to deliver food to chimpanzees while several roads were underwater. “A short 40 hours after that, we’re almost completely dry on our roads,” Mark Yohannan said. Residents and farmers at Monday’s district meeting sought ways to reduce the risk of similar flooding during another extreme rainfall event.