JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Clay County remains under a flood warning overnight, but the National Weather Service has dropped flood watches for Flagler, St. Johns and Putnam counties.
This comes as water from Sunday's heavy rains have run off and forecast for more tropical downpours have diminished. News4Jax chief meteorologist John Gaughan anticipates additional rainfall amounts of under 1 inch Monday night, but moisture continuing to stream out of the Gulf of Mexico and already saturated ground conditions keep more flooding a possibility all week.
Clay County
Water in the south prong of the Black Creek near Penny Farms was at 15.3 feet at 10:30 a.m. Monday, nearly a foot above flood stage. A flood watch for Clay County remains in effect through 2:15 a.m. Tuesday.
Sandbags are being given out by the county at the Middleburg Fire Station, 4003 Everett Ave. They are self-serve, so bring a shovel.
Clay County emergency management officials are going around the county, identifying problem areas.
Flagler County
Emergency officials were monitoring the weather because the ground is already saturated.
Officials have suspended sandbag distribution but has 30,000 bags and a dump truck full of sand on standby, if needed.
St. Johns County
Streets of downtown St. Augustine remained flooded Monday morning. Police said the water standing in streets, parking lots and lawns is not unusual during periods of heavy rain. Officers deployed barricades and signs to warn motorist to avoid the standing water.
St. Johns County has set up four different locations where residents can get sandbags to combat the flooding. It's all self-serve and the sandbag spots come with bags and ties ready to use.
- Simms Pit - 536 South Holmes Blvd.
- Fire Station 10 - 101 Library Blvd.
- Butler Park West - 399 Riverside Blvd.
- Under the Palm Valley Bridge
- Mills Field, 1805 Race Track Road
- Behinds the Hastings Community Center, 6195 S. Main Street
Putnam County
Between 15 and 20 families were stranded when West Bannerville Road washed out due to heavy rains. Public works crews were working to repair the dirt road. Hoover Road (pictured) in the Interlachen area was also closed because of high water caused a partial washout, but there is a detour available there.
The county was working on a sandbag distribution plan.
Alachua County
The city of Gainesville is handing out sandbags at its public works office, 405 NW 39th Ave.
Baker County
County officials are watching the St. Mary's River carefully because that's the source of most of their flooding. No areas have reached a level of concern as typically the river rises a few days after a period of heavy rain.
Sandbags are available on request.
Bradford County
There are no watches or warnings in Bradford, but 8 inches of rain has fallen in the past 24 hours. Laura Street was closed Sunday night due to flooding of Alligator Creek, but it reopened Monday morning.
Bradford is also distributing sandbags between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. at three locations:
- City of Starke Purchasing Department, 601 Orange Street
- Hielbronn Springs Volunteer Fire Department, 21412 NW State Road 16
- Lawtey City Hall, 2793 Lake Street
There is a 40-bag limit so the county can serve as many residents as possible and keep the line moving.
Columbia County
Officials are monitoring the situation, but the county is currently not under any watches or warnings currently.
The road department has sandbags, if they are needed, but there's not schedule for distribution at this time.
Living with high water
The worst flooding in St. County was around Flagler College.
"It's gone through the streets over here," student John Roberts said. "They actually had to tow a car that was just here, because there was water at the bottom of the engine."
Roberts told News4Jax he was warned about the flooding when he first moved in and started classes, but he saw just how bad it was early Sunday.
"Behind the Lewis Hall, where we're at, it comes up to my shins about halfway. It's been crazy flooding, but it's also really exciting," Roberts said. "I think it's a matter of taking precautions. Before we moved in, everyone was like, 'Go buy rain shoes.'"
Brad Banion was one of those who showed up to to get sandbags to protect his property.
"We had some flooding just off of State Road 16 last night in my shed and garage ... so I thought I'd get some sandbags," Banion said. "My wife owns a shop downtown, so we are more concerned about the shop than the house at the time."
Clay County residents who live along Black Creek are somewhat used to high water. Most of the houses are set back from the water or built on stilts, so the water must be well above flood stage to cause problems.
Craig Bowen's home is about 80 feet above the creek.
"We've seen it flood twice in the last 10 years," Bowen said. "What you'll see, of course, the water coming up. People along Scenic Drive, especially, taking things out of their homes, moving cars, paddling a boat to their house."
Bowen said the 2012 flood caused by Tropical Storm Debbie forced water well above major flood stage, and in 2013, the creek rose to more than 23 feet.
Bowen that year, the the water reached his property.
"Our walkway rose up and part of it floated away with the river," Bowen said. "The creek was much wider and it took part of our walkway away and we had to go down in the woods and find it. We found it against some trees and we carried it back and resembled it."
John Lane also remembers he wasn't prepared for the last flood, and he's loaded his truck with some important items in case he needs to move out.
"(The creek) is already up two and a half to 3 foot now. What I understand the North Fork is starting to flood now and I'm on the South Fork," Lane said.
John Ward, deputy director of Clay County Emergency Management, said all residents should be prepared because of the usual amount of rainfall over the last few weeks has saturated the ground and the basins are full.
"There is a large complacency to residents, we believe, because it's been so long since we've had impacts," Ward said.