Welcome to our deep dive into the Wthlakoochee River
flooding in Central Florida.
It's been going on for weeks now.
So we use all those articles you sent us,
maps and personal accounts and everything
to really get to the bottom of this.
How this happened, what's it like for people
and what does the future look like for the Wthlakoochee?
It's a good example of those disasters
that don't happen overnight.
They build up over time and then boom, devastating.
And this wasn't just Hurricane Milton.
This was like the whole season, like tons of rain.
And then Milton was the last straw.
Exactly, think of it like a sponge that's soaking wet.
After weeks of rain, the ground's full,
the wetlands are full, all that rain from Milton
had nowhere to go but the river and it just overflowed.
And didn't you say the Wthlakoochee's kind of weird,
it flows north or something?
It does, one of only two in Florida.
So picture this, tons of water,
already high, trying to flow uphill.
Yeah, recipe for disaster.
Wow, and like Swift Mud, the experts there,
they're saying this is some of the worst flooding
they've seen in forever.
Some places haven't seen it this bad since 1960,
can you believe that?
That was the year with all those hurricanes in Florida,
puts it in perspective.
1960, that was way before I was even born.
This must be so hard for the people
who live along the river.
It is, we've got some stories that really bring it home,
like Cindy Pruitt in Ridge Manor,
she was filling sandbags even before Milton hit,
couldn't afford to leave.
So it was sandbags and prayers for her.
I can't imagine that feeling,
knowing the water's coming and there's not much you can do.
Yeah, it's tough.
And then there's Kristy Van Den Bosch,
lives near Cypress Lakes Preserve.
She said this year's river is higher
than anything she's ever seen, they stocked up,
but sometimes nature just wins.
I was like, a lot of people are trapped in this,
like no good options.
What about the rest of the Wthlakoochee,
how are other areas doing?
It's bad all over.
Citrus County, closed roads, curfews, boat ramps,
the whole nine yards, Hernando County,
highest level since you guessed it, 1960.
They got the sheriff, fire rescue,
even the highway patrol out rescuing people.
Wow, can't even imagine needing to be rescued
from your own home because of a flood.
Anywhere in particular that's really been hit hard.
Ridge Manor is one.
They've had to make this like emergency road,
using part of the Wthlakoochee State Trail
just to get people in and out.
And they set up a community resource center
at the park there for supplies and stuff.
At least there's some help.
Still sounds like a nightmare though.
It is, but you know, even with all that,
there's some really amazing stuff happening,
people helping each other out,
like this restaurant in Brooksville, Little's Vittles,
they were cooking free meals for people without power,
using a gas stove because the electricity was out.
I love those stories.
People coming together when things are tough,
shows you what we're really made of.
It does, West Lakes and other places that's hurting,
people are using kayaks to get to their houses,
and get this, they're dealing with septic system backflow.
So sewage in their homes.
On top of everything else,
you gotta worry about contaminated water.
Yeah, it's a mess.
And Swift Mud, they're trying their best
to keep things under control,
monitoring the river levels, updating everyone,
trying to manage the water.
But can they actually stop the flooding?
Like completely?
They've got some things in place,
like the Y song structure and the English dam,
those help control the water levels,
but they can only do so much.
So even to those things, there's gonna be some flooding.
Yeah, that's about right.
And to make things worse,
Lake Panasofke's still rising,
they're saying another foot in the next few days.
So even though the hurricane's gone,
the danger's not over,
what does that mean for the people who have to,
you know, rebuild their lives when the water goes down?
That's a big question, isn't it?
And something we'll talk more about next time,
but for now, what's standing out to you about all this?
Honestly, just how big this thing is.
Weeks of rain than a hurricane.
And now floods we haven't seen in what, over 60 years?
It's hard to wrap my head around.
Yeah, it's a lot.
And as interesting as the science behind all this is,
I think what really gets to me are the stories,
the strength, the fear, the uncertainty,
and the good that comes out of it
makes you realize even with all this devastation,
there's still so much good in people.
Yeah, you're right, like the human side of it all.
That's what really gets me.
And that's even more important
as we start thinking about what comes next.
You know, the rebuilding, the picking up the pieces,
all of that.
Because it's not just about like fixing houses, right?
It's people's whole lives that have been turned upside down.
You got it.
We're talking about homes that need to be fixed,
debris everywhere, that contaminated water we talked about.
But it's also the mental and emotional part,
losing your home, your stuff, that feeling of safety.
It's a lot to deal with.
And then there's the money part.
Like how are people gonna pay for all this?
And that's where it gets really tricky.
Flood insurance is super important.
But a lot of people don't have it.
And even if you do,
getting the money from the insurance company
can be a whole other headache.
Makes you think, doesn't it?
Like about being prepared for something like this.
Both with money and just, you know, practically.
You said it, but sometimes even if you're ready,
a disaster this big is just too much for one person to handle.
That's when the government, charities,
and community groups become so important.
Speaking of community groups,
you mentioned that resource center
at Ridge Manor Community Park.
What about other examples?
Are people helping each other out another way?
Oh yeah, for sure.
Remember Little's Vittles?
That restaurant cooking free meals?
That's a perfect example of people coming together.
Totally.
And like those people kayaking to their houses.
Even when things are this bad,
they find a way to keep going.
That's exactly what resilience is.
It's not just bouncing back.
It's about adapting.
Finding new ways to do things, helping each other out.
So it's almost like those acts of kindness.
They're not just helping right now.
They're building something stronger for later.
You got it.
That's resilience.
Not just getting back on your feet,
but coming back even stronger,
ready for whatever comes next.
Which makes me wonder,
what does being ready actually look like?
Like what are some long-term solutions
to prevent flooding like this in the future?
Well, the obvious one is infrastructure.
Better levees.
Upgrading the drainage systems.
Maybe even looking at some new high-tech ways
to manage the water.
And what about those structures we talked about?
The Y-Song structure and the English dam.
Could they be better?
Or are they just not made to handle this kind of thing?
Well, there's always room for improvement.
We learn and adapt.
But like we've seen,
even the best systems can be overwhelmed.
So it's not just about engineering, right?
People have to be part of the solution too.
Absolutely.
We need to teach people about flood risks,
encourage them to be prepared,
and promote responsible land use,
you know, things like that.
So it's a team effort, engineering, education, policy,
and people working together.
Exactly.
It's about moving away from just reacting to disasters
and starting to think ahead.
Thinking ahead and realizing that the world's changing.
And things like this might happen more often.
Which brings us to something we can't ignore.
Climate change.
You said it.
It's tough to talk about flooding
without talking about climate change.
Sea levels are rising, rain's getting heavier,
weather patterns are changing,
and all that leads to more floods.
So it's not just about adapting to what's happening now.
It's about getting ready for a future
where these things might get even worse.
Exactly.
And that means changing how we think.
We can't see ourselves as separate from nature.
We're all connected.
Like realizing that what we do matters,
that it affects the future,
and that we have to take care of this planet
and take care of each other.
Powerful stuff.
And it goes right back to what we've been talking about
this whole time.
Those people dealing with the floods,
the communities coming together,
the experts trying to find solutions.
It all shows how connected we are,
how resilient we can be,
and how much we want a better future.
It's inspiring, for sure.
But as we wrap up this part of the conversation,
a big question pops up.
How do we turn all this awareness,
all this inspiration, into something real?
Like how do we bridge the gap
between seeing the problem
and actually doing something about it?
Yeah, that's the big question, right?
Like we can talk about it all day,
but how do we actually make a difference?
Go from talking to doing something.
I know, it's tough, right?
When it's something as huge as flooding
and climate change, it feels like,
where do you even begin?
Because I remember even little things can add up.
Like a ripple effect.
So don't get discouraged by how big it is.
Every little bit counts.
Exactly.
It's like those people helping out.
One restaurant cooking meals might not fix everything,
but it makes a difference for those people.
Okay, I get that.
So where do we even start?
Like what can people do today to make things better?
Let's start with something basic but important.
Flood insurance.
Even if you think you're not at risk, it's worth it.
It can be a lifesaver if something happens.
That's a good one.
Like you hope you never need it,
but if you do, man, are you glad you have it.
What about our homes?
Can we do anything to make them like less vulnerable
to flooding?
For sure.
Lots of stuff you can do.
Like putting outlets and appliances higher up,
using flood proof materials,
having a plan for your valuables.
So being prepared ahead of time,
not just waiting till it happens, I like it.
What about stuff we can do as a community
to build that resilience we were talking about?
Supporting those groups that help out after disasters,
that's huge.
Volunteering, donating, whatever you can do.
And then there's like speaking up for change, right?
To the people in charge.
Yeah.
Getting involved with local leaders,
talking about what matters,
pushing for policies that deal with flooding,
development and climate change, all of it.
So making our voices heard.
Letting those elected folks know that we care about this stuff
and we want them to do something.
Yep.
It's not just about reacting when bad stuff happens,
it's about getting to the root of the problem.
And that brings us back to climate change.
It always comes back to that, doesn't it?
Yeah.
We can't talk about flooding
without talking about climate change.
True that.
We're seeing it everywhere.
More rain, higher sea levels, weather going crazy.
All that leads to more floods.
So it's not just about dealing with what's happening now.
It's about getting ready for a future
where this could get even worse.
And that means changing how we think about it.
We gotta stop thinking we're separate from nature.
We're all part of this, you know.
Realizing that what we do has consequences.
We gotta take care of this planet
and each other.
That's a really important point.
And it really connects to what we've been learning about today.
The folks hit by the floods,
communities coming together,
experts trying to figure things out.
It shows how connected we are,
how tough we can be,
and that we want a better future.
It's really amazing to see.
So as we wrap up our deep dive into the,
with Likuchi flooding,
we leave you with this question.
What are you gonna do to build a better future?
How will you go from just knowing about the problem
to actually doing something about it?
In your own life, in your community?
The answers are gonna be different for everyone.
But you gotta start somewhere.
Keep learning, keep asking questions,
and keep diving deep.
See you next time.