ORLANDO, Fla. – Hurricane Ian is long gone, but major flooding continues along the St. Johns River and its tributaries. It will take another week or more for the St. Johns to fall below major flood stage.
The water may not completely recede until later in November as the slow-draining process of the St. Johns River continues.
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DeLand: Major Flood Stage
In DeLand, major flooding occurs when the level surpasses 5.3 feet. The river remains above 6 feet after cresting in record flood stage last week.
At 5.3 feet, major flooding occurs to many structures and marinas along the river and in the Hontoon Island area. Major flooding is forecast to continue through next weekend.
St. Johns at Astor
The river continues to be in major flood stage after cresting at a record stage of 4.71 feet on Oct. 1. The river is expected to remain in major flood stage, above 4 feet, through at least Wednesday. The river will remain in major flood stage through at least Thursday. The river could fall into moderate flood stage by late next weekend. As of 2 p.m. Friday, the river was at 4.36 feet.
At 4 feet, major flooding begins, with water entering the first story of many homes and businesses along the river. Some roads become inaccessible.
St. Johns at Sanford
Major flooding continues in Sanford and Lake Monroe after the St. Johns crested in record flood stage. Major flooding is expected to continue through at least next weekend. As of 2 p.m Friday, the river level was at 8.7 feet.
At 8 feet, major flooding begins. Flooding becomes more significant to low-lying structures and marinas along the river in Volusia and Seminole counties, including Sanford, Enterprise and Lake Monroe.
St. Johns at Geneva
Major flooding continues near Geneva after the St. Johns crested in record flood stage on Oct. 3. Major flooding is expected to continue beyond next weekend. As of 2 p.m. Friday, the river level was at 11.6 feet.
Major flooding begins at 10 feet. Flooding of homes in low-lying areas becomes more significant. Many secondary roads are impassable, limiting access to homes.
At 10.8 feet, water covers State Road 46 and it may become impassable near Jungle and Prevatt roads. Standing water on secondary roads near the river deepens to more than 3 feet in some areas. Flooding becomes more significant to structures and marinas from above Lake Harney to the Lake Jesup area.
The crest of the river lagged behind the heaviest rainfall, as it took time.
The continued major flooding is now a result of the river’s behavior rather than additional rainfall. Any additional heavy rain, however, could slow the receding process. The St. Johns River is a very unique body of water compared to many across the world. It is known to be one of the laziest rivers in the world, flowing to the north at a slow pace of 0.3 miles per hour.
It originates in Indian River County and spans 310 miles, ending at the Atlantic Ocean in Duval County near Jacksonville.
For the latest river gauge data, click here.
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