Almost two years post Ian, engineers to study Shingle Creek flooding

KISSIMMEE, Fla. — Engineers are finally embarking on a plan to study, and eventually eliminate, potential obstacles to water flowing through the Shingle Creek basin, more than two years after Ian devastated communities in the area.

▶ WATCH CHANNEL 9 EYEWITNESS NEWS

Osceola County was largely plunged underwater when the creek overflowed. The initial flash flooding turned into a slow-moving crisis as the water made its way downstream toward East Lake Toho.

The $3 million, three-year study is being paid for in part by federal funding, which is where county leaders said the holdup was.

Read: Record-breaking Hurricane Beryl is now in the Eastern Caribbean

“A process with the federal government takes a long time, it doesn’t mean that we weren’t there and talking to them,” Chairwoman Cheryl Grieb said.

The hope – long down the line – is that the federal government will chip in to address the issues its engineers eventually point out.

Read: Social Security Administration strips benefits from woman with Down Syndrome

“Until we go through this process, we won’t get any larger funds because some of these projects are very expensive,” Grieb explained, mentioning land purchases as an example. “That’s not something that we can necessarily do on our own.”

The vote to fund the study came days after a separate funding announcement was made to clear northern Lake Toho of invasive plants that slow down the flow of water.

That work is expected to begin soon.

Read: Scores are in for end-of-year state testing: Here’s how Central Florida compares

Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.

©2024 Cox Media Group