Residents in a Seminole neighborhood blame clogged waterways and inadequate stormwater management for the flooding during Wednesday’s severe rainstorm, whereas city officials attribute the waterlogged streets to a closed gate.
News Channel 8 saw posts across social media from residents living on 113th Street, Park Boulevard and in Grove Terrace expressing concern.
“I could not believe the water that was coming up my property, up my driveway, gathering in here,” remarked resident Donna Mansbart. “It’s a lot of rain in a short period of time, but it should not cause that.”
Mansbart said she believes a lack of maintenance is making the problem worse.
She emphasized, “We have some major issues going on in the City of Seminole and Pinellas County with our watershed issues, with not cleaning out the retention ponds, and keeping these waterways free.”
Roger Kenneally, who also lives in the neighborhood, described seeing the lake behind his home rise as the rain fell.
“When I looked out about 3 p.m., the water was over the dock boards, and that was just rainwater that had come down either runoff from property or it couldn’t drain at the head of the lake,” Kenneally stated.
The City of Seminole, in a statement, acknowledged that both 113th Street and Park Boulevard are Pinellas County roadways, but addressed the flooding in the Grove Terrace and Oakdale Terrace neighborhoods.
The city said the storm brought five inches of rain in 40 minutes, calling it the equivalent of a 500-year rain event.
The city pointed out that Hurricane Milton struck Seminole on Oct. 9, 2024, and noted that a new stormwater system was constructed in Grove Terrace between February and May of this year.
Officials also said Seminole Gardens Apartments, a private community, installed a gate sometime between 2004 and 2006 at the opening of a 72-inch pipe that had been built in 1975 by both the city and Pinellas County.
The city said stormwater from 113th Street and the ponds of Seminole Gardens discharges into the pipe.
According to Seminole officials, on September 17, the gate, which is operated and maintained by Seminole Gardens Apartments, was closed.
Debris then blocked the 72-inch pipe, which caused flooding on 113th Street and overflow from the Seminole Gardens ponds into the neighborhood.
The city said the new stormwater system on Grove Terrace was overwhelmed with the extra flow of water.
Officials emphasized the system was designed to handle water on Grove Terrace, not the redirected water caused by the closed gate.
Public Works staff arrived at 3:46 p.m. with equipment to try to open the gate on the private property.
The city said it was a slow process because of water pressure, but the streets were clear within an hour of their arrival.
News Channel 8 reached out to Pinellas County officials and are waiting their response in regard to heavy flooding in their respective jurisdictions.
