DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — After days of downpours across Central Florida, Daytona Beach is using emergency pumps and draining ponds to help prevent flooding in neighborhoods that have historically struggled with rising water.
The main driver behind the prolonged rainy pattern is a stalled front that is keeping deep tropical moisture locked over the state.
So far, the city has reported no significant flooding. Crews have strategically placed pumps to move water away from homes and create additional capacity ahead of more rain.
But in neighborhoods like Fairway Estates and Midtown, residents say flooding has been a longtime problem. Patricia Singleton has lived in Midtown for more than 60 years and said her home has flooded five times.
“I tell ya, I can’t even sleep at night when it’s raining,” Singleton said.
She said the repeated flooding has forced her to repair and refurnish her home multiple times.
“Having to refurbish the house, having to have the house redone again, you know, that’s old. That’s getting old. I’m older,” she said.
Residents in both communities have dealt with significant flooding for decades.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers spent two and a half years studying flooding in the area. Experts say the neighborhoods’ geography essentially creates a bowl, making it difficult for water to drain. The study did not identify a cost-effective long-term solution.
That leaves the city relying on temporary measures when heavy rain arrives, including draining ponds and using pumps to move water away from vulnerable homes.
But some residents question where that water is being sent. Shannon Perry, who lives in Fairway Estates, said she worries about moving water toward the golf course.
“That’s the side that turns into the ocean first. My whole backyard floods on a normal thunderstorm, a normal thunderstorm,” Perry said.
For now, the emergency pumps are giving the neighborhoods some breathing room as more rain moves through Central Florida. But residents say they remain frustrated and want a permanent solution.
“Because I’ve seen enough and I’m tired,” Singleton said.
Daytona Beach officials say public works crews are monitoring conditions and are prepared to put up signs or close roads if flooding becomes a problem.
Cities across Volusia County are also monitoring conditions as additional rain is expected.
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