Monday’s Hurricane Debby brought heavy rains to Clay County, causing water levels in Black Creek to jump more than 15 feet in 24 hours.
Tim Devin, the county’s Emergency Management Director, said that the North prong of Black Creek rose two to three feet faster than expected Tuesday morning.
The county issued two emergency alerts to citizens at 4am, urging them to take precautions against flooding and evacuate if necessary.
Water levels in the North prong of the creek continue to rise and are expected to crest at 8pm Tuesday night. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration predicts water levels will reach 20 feet, just short of what they classify as ‘major flooding’ in the area.
The South prong of the creek is also under flood warning, though Devin says it crested at just over fifteen feet at 4am Tuesday morning.
“We were watching the South in case we had to evacuate the animal shelter,” said Devin, but with water reaching only 5.2-5.5 feet above normal levels, the shelter did not flood.
Devin cautioned that the current flooding of Black Creek could only be the first wave. “Traditionally, once a hurricane comes, that’s the first flood we see. About two days later, we see a second flood which is all the runoff from all the surrounding counties.”
He said that the county will continue to monitor creek levels in the coming days and prepare for another flood.