Polk County approves plan to ease Lake Seward flooding — but it's not a permanent solution

HIGHLAND CITY, Fla. - Homeowners on Oakmont Lane near Lake Seward are still struggling more than a year after their homes were damaged or destroyed by Hurricane Milton. 

Polk County just approved a project to help mitigate the flooding, but it's not a permanent solution.

What they're saying:

"We're over 65 years old and we lost everything. Everything! Nobody helped. Nobody," said Tracy Boyette.

Boyette and her husband are still living in a trailer parked outside their home.

"My house is completely two by fours. That's it," said Boyette. "Stripped down. Nothing's there, so I wish I could move back in. Nobody can even tell us if we're safe to move back in." 

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The backstory:

For weeks, Polk County had to pump out water from the Lake Seward basin to the Banana Lake basin until the water levels came down.

Big picture view:

The county recently approved funding for a permanent discharge line. Roads and Drainage Director Jay Jarvis said this wasn't needed before Hurricane Milton, because flooding only happened every 10 years as opposed to on a yearly basis.

However, Jarvis said the discharge line is not an "end-all—fix-all solution." Instead, it will help move the water out sooner rather than later.

"I would love for our county to take responsibility for what they're doing with the overbuilding," said Boyette. "They all knew this. I've been fighting this stuff for so long." 

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The other side:

Jarvis said he doesn't believe development contributed to the flooding. Rather, he said it comes down to how much water or rain accumulates over time.

"We've seen areas that sit there and 10 years later it happens again, so things have to line up, so we don't see that is going to make a difference one way or the other. It's how much rain comes down and what happens with the water shed," said Jarvis.

The county did have a conversation with homeowners about buying their properties after the hurricane, but Jarvis told FOX 13 most of them planned on staying and fixing up their homes instead.

What's next:

The permanent discharge line project is expected to be completed before the 2027 rainy season hits.