ZEPHYRHILLS, Fla. — In neighborhoods around Zephyrhills, residents are hoping for drier skies in the forecast, concerned with the flooding and standing water left after unprecedented rainfall.
“I have never seen it like this,” says Dee Daniels, who normally lives on the 7th hole green of the Silverado Golf Course. Now, her house is next to a giant water hazard.
“Now it’s a huge lake,” says Daniels, a snowbird who came back to Florida earlier than normal after seeing photos of the flooding from her neighbors.
“We just wanted to come down and see what was happening make sure everything is okay, do some projects and this is what we see,” Daniels added.
People in the same Silver Oaks neighborhood reached out to 10 Tampa Bay concerned with what was being done to address it.
Zephyrhills city officials tell us the nearby Geiger Pond plays a key role in managing floods and exists in a flood zone. The pond was built after the golf course area flooded in a similar manner back in 2004.
Right now, they are working with state and county officials to manage the flooding, closing a portion of Silver Oaks Road to position a large pump.
“Pasco County is presently assisting with actively pumping water out of the Silverado Golf Course into nearby swales and our conveyance system to the south. This is part of our broader effort to mitigate the immediate impacts of flooding," a city spokesperson said.
“Silver Oaks is integral to the water conveyance system in the area, particularly for directing water from Sutton Lake to the south," they added.
Other areas of the city are also not out of the water yet.
Greg Hagler has lived off 11th Avenue for decades.
“The water has never come up this high,” Hagler said, pointing out to 10 Tampa Bay the inches of water in front and side lawns.
“When I walk out the door in the morning, when the daylight hits, you're torn between crying and throwing something at somebody,” he added.
Hagler says the issue has gotten worse over the past few years and believes debris, vegetation and junk in nearby Zephyr Creek is adding to the problem.
He’s been calling on county officials to take a look at it.
“We wouldn’t have this impact if there wasn’t a dam, if you will, in the creek,” Hagler said. “Some of my neighbors can’t even get to their homes they have to drive through pastures."
We reached out to Pasco County to ask about the potential creek issue, and officials say they are looking into it.
Related to the flooding, a county spokesperson tells us:
“Pasco County is closely monitoring the area of Zephyrhills that is experiencing flooding. Pasco Public Works has placed a water pump that extends to Twin Bridges Road to alleviate flooding in the Silverado Golf Course/Silver Oaks area. We are closely monitoring and adjusting those pumps as necessary to control flooding and protect life and property."
Additionally, we have continued to extend our Local State of Emergency due to the flooding and are working closely with Florida Department of Emergency Management on resources for the area”
In the meantime, neighbors are staying patient and hoping they see the water start to subside soon.